China and Malaysia working for a stable future

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Editor’s Note: Luo Yongkun is an associate research fellow at China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations. The article reflects the author’s views, and not necessarily those of CGTN.

Malaysia Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad will pay a visit to China that will attract world attention.

Recently the new Malaysian government has suspended some projects with heavy Chinese investments like the East Coast Railway.

Several observers around the world worry that the China-Malaysia relationship will be severely affected by the suspension of these big projects and Malaysia may turn to western countries for further cooperation.

I am not worried about Sino-Malaysia relations because the bilateral ties have a very solid foundation laid by the leaders of both countries.

Mutual trust, economic interdependence and close social links between China and Malaysia are so strong that they will help us overcome the difficulties jointly. Problems like the suspension will not challenge Sino-Malaysian relations at all.

Mahathir Mohamad, Malaysian prime minister, working in his office in Kuala Lumpur on Friday, June 22, 2018. /VCG Photo

More importantly, since Tun Dr Mahathir took office, senior officials from the two countries have kept up frequent visits for communication and coordination in order to pave the way for the upcoming visit of the Malaysian prime minister to China. It shows that the two nations really cherish the traditional friendship and our relations are very mature and stable against difficulties and challenges.

These relations will not be affected by the suspension. The two countries will continue to enhance cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

First of all, the ongoing projects with Chinese investment in Malaysia like the South Railway and Gate Way will bear fruit in the coming years and will benefit local people.

Secondly, under the leadership of Tun Dr Mahathir and Chinese President Xi Jinping, the two nations will open more opportunities for cooperation.

For example, China and Malaysia will concentrate more on e-commerce, maritime economy, science and technology and coordination on regional architecture.

A view of Kuala Lumpur City Centre in Malaysia on August 15, 2017. /VCG Photo

In other words, in the coming decade, the relations will transcend trade and investment and expand in other fields, and therefore have more strategic implications.

Someone may mention that Malaysia now is focusing on Japan for more cooperation and it is true that in less than 100 days, Tun Dr Mahathir has visited Tokyo twice.

I agree that Malaysia under his leadership will pay more attention to Japan but it doesn`t mean that Malaysia will abandon China.

Malaysia wants more investment and technical help from Japan so that the third national automobile brand can be made in Kuala Lumpur. Japan is important to Malaysia economically rather than politically and strategically.

The other side of the coin is that China is also very significant to Malaysia not only on the economic front, but also in political, strategic and security fields. Malaysia will not take sides and its relations with China and Japan will go side by side.

Even though Tun Dr Mahathir repeated many times that he will push forward his country's Look East Policy, in which Japan is at the core, I think this policy in the new era will not only encompass Japan but also China. The reason is that Malaysia welcomes and strongly supports BRI and China is the strategically important partner for Malaysia in East Asia.

To conclude, China and Malaysia have become maturely strategic partners. Our friendship and mutual trust will help both nations encounter any difficulties and challenges ahead.