After the migration phenomenon that occurred many centuries ago, a quarter of Malaysia’s population now contains Malaysian Chinese people. Malaysia is now continuously walking on the track to be one of the top ten trading partners of China. In several aspects, China and Malaysia are friends. There is a lot of sociological evidence that makes the affairs between both the countries crystal clear.
A report from Pew Research Center data shows that around every two of three Malaysians are worried about territorial disputes. This does not oppose Malaysia to have a strong economic relationship with China. There is also a survey report that says, seven out of ten Malaysians want the presence and investments of China in their country.
Malaysia has remained the top ASEAN trading partner of China and China has conducted heavily infrastructure oriented investments in Malaysia. From commodities to tourism, China is looking to establish a stable economic grip on the region. It is necessary to find the right balance between China and Malaysia. According to ChinaFund, the Malaysian authorities admit that the nation is increasingly dependent on Chinese investment and is increasing the economy due to the presence of China funds in the country.
The current diplomatic narrative tends to highlight the fact that Malaysia does not clear specific concerns with China’s regional ambitions in the South China Sea. Malaysian authorities have criticized the common West in general, particularly the United States, in particular for trying to turn the countries that are geographically close to China.
