Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s recent comments about Taiwan have raised questions about whether Malaysia is still committed to its traditional policy of non-alignment and not picking sides between China and the United States. In an interview with Al Jazeera that aired earlier this month, Anwar stated that he saw Taiwan “as part of China, period”, adding that this was “accepted by all”. More controversially, when asked whether he would condemn China if it resorted to force in the event that peaceful “reunification” did not work, Anwar said that if a Malaysian state were attempting to break away, he would use force to “protect the sanctity and unity of” Malaysia.
Anwar’s comments were praised by the Chinese government, with a Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman stressing that Taiwan is “an inalienable part of China’s territory” and that “China must and will be reunited”. Taiwan’s government condemned the remarks and warned that Anwar’s “one-sided support for China could negatively impact Taiwanese businesses’ confidence in investing in Malaysia”. Taiwan, the world’s largest chips producer, is a major investor in Malaysia, particularly in the country’s crucial semiconductor industry.
Asked about the issue by local media, Anwar appeared to walk back some of his comments, stressing that Malaysia respected China’s position but favoured a peaceful resolution to tensions in the Taiwan Strait. Anwar courted headlines again several days after his Al Jazeera interview when he called for the bolstering of Malaysia’s defences in the Bornean state of Sabah. He pointed to the development of US-backed military facilities in neighbouring Philippines as justification, in part, for increased defence spending.
The Philippine government is in the process of upgrading military facilities on the island of Balabac, 50km (31 miles) from the Malaysian islands of Banggi and Balambangan. Balabac was recently added to the Enhanced Defence Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) between Washington and Manila, which granted US forces access to designated locations in the Philippines. Anwar’s comments have bolstered longstanding suspicions among Western commentators that Malaysia is turning against the West and aligning with China, breaking from Malaysia’s traditional policy of non-alignment.
Indeed, Anwar’s remarks come amid China’s growing economic presence in Malaysia, with Beijing now representing Malaysia’s largest trade partner. Malaysia has also been one of the most enthusiastic recipients of Chinese investment projects, including under China’s Belt and Road Initiative. Anwar’s seemingly pro-China stance also comes as Malaysia diverges from the West on other geopolitical issues, such as the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East.
Long a firm critic of Israel, Malaysia under Anwar has been especially vocal in its opposition to Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza. However, some analysts push back against suggestions of Malaysia undergoing a strategic realignment. Chee Meng Tan, an assistant professor of business economics at the University of Nottingham Malaysia, noted that Malaysia’s recognition of Taiwan as “part of China” dates to the 1974 communiqué that then-Prime Minister Tun Abdul Razak signed with Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai to establish diplomatic relations between their countries.
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