MALAYSIA maintained its position as a Zone of Peace, Freedom and Neutrality country despite establishing international trade cooperation with two competing superpowers – China and the United States.

Dewan Rakyat Speaker Johari Abdul said the two superpowers remain the biggest investors in Malaysia.

He said following the shift of the economic paradigm to Asia, Malaysia must strengthen trade relations with China, which was becoming increasingly advanced.

“Anyone (foreign countries) who wants to do business (trade and investment) with us (Malaysia), we welcome… but more importantly, there is now a switch in the economic wave to Asia.

“If the 19th century belonged to Britain and Europe and the 20th century belonged to the United States, in the 21st century, a shift has occurred as economic development showed Asia is the place to be.

“If Malaysia does not take advantage of this Asian economic wave, something is wrong with us,” he said in a special interview with Bernama in conjunction with his official visit to Beijing.

He said this in response to a question about Malaysia establishing diplomatic and international trade cooperation with China and the United States.

The speaker said Malaysia, as the 2025 Asean Summit host, must have clear direction.

He said cooperation and diplomatic relations with China will open opportunities for Malaysia to set a direction in which to lead Asean.

“We can’t be talking about politics and war only… What we will highlight, debate and do when the time comes (for Malaysia to assume the Asean chair) in 2025 is to aim for the greater position for our people and this region.”

Johari, who led the Malaysian delegation to Beijing, ended his official visit to the republic at the invitation of his counterpart Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress chairman Zhao Leji.

During the visit since, Johari met with Zhao, Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference chairman Wang Huning, and President Xi Jinping, in addition to attending the opening ceremony of the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games and visiting several large Chinese companies leading the fields of technology, renewable energy, agriculture and artificial intelligence. – Bernama, September 27, 2023.