Beijing, 6 Mar (Xinhua) -- Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim recently criticized the United States and other Western countries for forcing other countries to choose sides, stressing that the United States and the West should not obstruct the development of friendly relations between Malaysia and China. Saying "no" to the United States and the West not only shows Anwar's political vision, but also points to a broader global trend: more and more countries are beginning to recognize the intention of the United States and the West to engage in bloc confrontation by selling "security anxiety" to contain China's development, and dancing with the United States and the West will only miss the development opportunity of win-win cooperation with China.
On January 28, 2024, at the General Assembly Building of the Chinese Assembly Hall in Malaysia, the actors perform on stage. In order to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Malaysia, the "Malaysia-China Friendship Night" and the opening ceremony of the 2024 Malaysia-China Youth Arts Festival were held at the General Building of the Chinese Assembly Hall in Malaysia on the evening of the 28th. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Cheng Yiheng When attending the 2024 ASEAN-Australia Special Summit in Melbourne, Australia, Anwar said on the 4th that there is "Sinophobia" in Western countries, there is no problem between Malaysia and China, and Western countries should not hinder the development of friendly relations between Malaysia and its important neighbor China. In fact, Anwar has criticized the United States and the West on many occasions for inciting "Sinophobia", arguing that great power competition has compressed Malaysia's space for survival and development. In an interview with the Financial Times in February, Anwar said, "Why do I have to be tied to an interest group? I don't share this strong prejudice against China, this 'China phobia'. ”
Anwar's refusal to take sides is a rational and pragmatic choice based on Malaysia's own development. Over the years, the practical cooperation between China and Malaysia has brought tangible benefits to the two peoples. Malaysia is one of the first countries to respond to the Belt and Road Initiative, and it is also one of the countries that has achieved the most fruitful results in the early stage of the Belt and Road Initiative. In 2017, Malaysia included the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in its annual economic report for the first time, noting that the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has brought great opportunities for its economic development. Since 2009, China has maintained the status of Malaysia's largest partner for 15 consecutive years, and Malaysia is China's second largest partner within the ASEAN framework. Malaysia-China Kuantan Industrial Park, Xiamen University Malaysia, Malaysia Jinxin Railway, ......One project after another benefiting the people of the two countries has blossomed, and the foundation of cooperation between the two countries has been continuously consolidated. In recent years, Malaysia has implemented the concept of "Bright Malaysia", put forward a number of economic revitalization measures such as the new industrial blueprint by 2030 and the national energy transition roadmap to explore the road of future development. China is a global leader in emerging fields such as artificial intelligence, digital economy and new energy, and deepening cooperation with China will undoubtedly provide more and better technical support and development opportunities for Malaysia's development and transformation. Whether in the past, present or future, win-win cooperation has always been the main line of development of bilateral relations.
From a deeper perspective, Anwar's position also represents the genuine recognition of China's development contribution and development path by the vast number of developing countries. The concept of a community with a shared future for mankind advocated by China has become increasingly popular among the people, and the recognition that China is an opportunity rather than a threat has been widely recognized by the international community. According to an IMO analysis, a 1 percentage point increase in China's economic growth rate increases output in the rest of Asia by about 03%。Since the entry into force of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), China, as an important participant and active promoter, has made great contributions to the RCEP, instilling confidence in freedom, multilateralism and regional economic integration, and bringing development opportunities to the world economy full of conflicts, problems and challenges. At the same time, China's three major global initiatives focus on world peace, development and prosperity, emphasizing that all countries share a common destiny, and have been widely recognized by the world. Chinese modernization advocates the development of friendly and cooperative relations between countries based on the concept of mutual benefit and win-win results, and also expands the options for developing countries to move towards modernization. Majid, a former chairman of the Malaysian Investment Development Authority, wrote in an article: "The process of Chinese-style modernization is a strong proof that different societies have the potential to develop different paths and forms of modernization. Malaysia is open to learning different development models. Only by acknowledging and accommodating multiple models of modernization can we understand each other more comprehensively and achieve a harmonious coexistence of world civilizations. ”
In 1991, China was invited to attend the 24th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting held in Kuala Lumpur and formally established dialogue relations with ASEAN. In 2020, the two sides achieved a historic breakthrough in becoming each other's largest partners, and China-ASEAN relations have become the most successful and dynamic model of cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region. Photo by Xinhua News Agency Reporter Zhou Hua From the perspective of the international situation, in order to maintain its hegemonic status, the United States has clinged to the Cold War mentality, constantly created imaginary enemies, and instigated bloc confrontation, which runs counter to the mainstream of the era of promoting peace and development in the world. More and more countries are beginning to realize that great power competition is not the theme of the times, zero-sum game is not the right choice, and based on their own development is the priority logic. In fact, with the enhancement of their own strength and discourse, more and more developing countries have become more vocal in the international arena, whether it is on the Ukraine crisis, the Palestinian-Israeli issue, or in actively joining the BRICS cooperation mechanism and amplifying the development narrative. Luo Siyi, former director of the London Economic and Business Policy Agency, believes that the United States is losing "the ability to control the world and force other countries to sacrifice their own interests," and the vast majority of countries in the world will not act like this, except for a few allies such as Britain who go against their own interests for the sake of American interests. "They're not supporting China or supporting the United States, they're supporting themselves, and the goal is to grow themselves. That is why they are unwilling to sacrifice their own interests for the sake of the United States. ”
In the face of the complicated international situation, it is the general trend to refuse to become a pawn in the game of great powers and to say "no" to the US-Western leadership of taking sides. Seeking peace and development is the mainstream of the times, and upholding strategic autonomy and maintaining stable development is the common aspiration of the international community. As Anwar previously said to U.S. Deputy Harris, "we want to focus on what's best for us."