Malaysia warns against attempts to undermine China’s regional sway

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has warned against attempts to block China's military and economic rise in the Asia-Pacific region and denying its "legitimate place in history."

On Thursday, Ibrahim said as the United States and China jostle for regional influence, Southeast Asian countries should defend the "sanctity" of international law and urge cooperation.

“In their eyes, the adverse actions on China's rise, militarily, economically and technologically, represent nothing less than an attempt to deny their legitimate place in history," Ibrahim said about China.

"The obstacles that have been placed against China's economic and technological advancement will only further accentuate such grievances."

Speaking at the Australian National University in Canberra, the prime minister said the countries need to put themselves in China's shoes and recognize how its leaders saw its military buildup and growing diplomatic influence as a natural result of its economic and technological prowess.

The Malaysian prime minister, who attended the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit in Australia that ended on Wednesday, favored China at the meeting that saw clashes between the Philippines and China over the disputed South China Sea.

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said on March 4 that his country would expand security ties with the United States and resist Chinese incursions in the disputed sea.

The Philippines has also accused China of damaging one of its ships in the South China Sea.

Beijing has blamed the United States for using the Philippines as a "pawn" in the region.

Without naming a specific country, Ibrahim said, "For some countries, the preservation of stability warrants nothing less than a more muscular approach towards international affairs."

The Malaysian prime minister, who will host next year's ASEAN summit, said multilateral institutions such as the 10-member bloc needed to ensure the region was resilient to power shifts.

"We must invest in institutions that will enable us to adapt to change peacefully without denying any nation of their rightful place in the global economy."

Ibrahim said great uncertainty in the world highlighted the need for strong, universally recognized laws and more modern multilateral institutions.

“Globalization is decidedly under assault, economic interdependence is now seen as indicative of duress or, worse, of buckling under the weight of coercion."

He also rebuked Western countries for condemning Russia over the war in Ukraine while remaining "utterly silent on the relentless bloodletting inflicted on innocent men, women and children of Gaza."

"Unfortunately, the gut-wrenching tragedy that continues to unfold in the Gaza Strip has laid bare the self-serving nature of (the) much vaunted rules-based order," he said.

"The differing responses by the West to human suffering defy reason."

"Why ... has the West been so vociferous, vehement, and unequivocal in the condemnation of the Russia invasion of Ukraine while remaining utterly silent on the relentless, bloodletting inflicted on innocent men, women and children of Gaza."

The joint Australia-ASEAN statement on Wednesday reiterated concern over the "dire" humanitarian situation in Gaza.

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