Malaysian premier hails ties with Beijing
Print Edition
MALAYSIA and China yesterday signed a defense deal and pledged closer cooperation in the South China Sea, signaling a potential strategic shift by Premier Najib Razak as his ties with the United States fray.
Najib’s weeklong trip marks another potential setback for Washington’s “pivot” toward Asia, two weeks after President Rodrigo Duterte of longtime US ally the Philippines visited China.
Meeting at Beijing’s Great Hall of the People, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and Najib witnessed the signing of nine agreements spanning defense, business and other spheres.
“I believe this visit will bring our bilateral ties to a new high ... a historic high,” Najib said prior to meeting Li.
Asked for details of the defense arrangement, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin said the two countries were “focusing on naval cooperation,” adding that the deal “marks a big event in our bilateral ties.”
China and Malaysia have an outstanding territorial dispute in the South China Sea.
“China and Malaysia are littoral states of the South China Sea so we need to enhance our cooperation to ensure peace and stability in the South China Sea and enhance our mutual trust,” Liu said.
Last month, Duterte stunned observers by announcing his country’s “separation” from longstanding partner the US. The episode underlined China’s increasing diplomatic and economic gravitational pull.
Najib’s visit provides fresh evidence, said Southeast Asia politics analyst Bridget Welsh.
“This is the new regional norm. Now China is implementing the power and the US is in retreat,” she said, adding Washington’s Asia “pivot” was “dead in the water.”
Taking office in 2009, Najib reached out to Washington, and relations warmed following decades of periodic distrust.
But he has been leaning toward China as it became Malaysia’s biggest trading partner.
China has been winning major infrastructure and other projects in Malaysia. Among the agreements was one to build a rail line on Malaysia’s east coast.
Later this week Najib will meet President Xi Jinping, as well as Jack Ma, founder of e-commerce giant Alibaba.
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