08 March 2019, 09:57 AM
wtgInterview with Malaysian PM
quote:
If forced to take sides in the high-stakes geopolitical rivalry and trade war between the United States and China, Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad would prefer the economic largesse of Beijing.
He pointed to the current state of unpredictability of the American superpower as a negative factor when asked about the impact of Sino-American tensions on other, smaller nations in the region.
In a wide-ranging and exclusive interview with the South China Morning Post focused on his Southeast Asian nation’s foreign policy, Mahathir said Malaysia’s strong ties with China were not “static” over time or issues.
https://www.scmp.com/week-asia...s-malaysias-mahathir08 March 2019, 10:36 PM
AxtremusWhen Mahathir was Malaysian PM before 2003, he used to make statements critical of the USA even then that were widely reported internationally (well, as widely reported as could be for a head of state of a small country). Can't say whether he is more or less critical of the USA now than before.
On China, there has been a great shift. Malaysia used to ban Communism and has even gone into war with the Communists. It once disallowed its citizens to travel to China. Heck, Malaysia may still have on it books today laws that ban Communism. But a lot of that has changed since the new millennium. Malaysia now trades a lot with China, and allow its citizens to travel to and even work in China. I guess Malaysia really didn't have a choice ... the rise of China as an economic powerhouse forced the change as it also has for many other countries.
