Abroad
‘Our approach is one of active non-alignment’: M’sia PM Anwar Ibrahim on US-China relations
He called for a “dynamic equilibrium” in Southeast Asia.
May 31, 2025, 05:37 PM
Malaysia Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim delivered a special address on May 31, on the second day of the 2025 Shangri-La Dialogue.
During his speech, Anwar outlined Malaysia’s strategic posture amidst growing global tensions, and an apparently increasingly fraught United States-China relationship.
Eschewing taking sides, Anwar said:
"Our approach is one of active non-alignment.
We will engage all who are willing, major powers and middle powers alike, not to set one against the other, but to maximise our own strategic space."
Spheres of influence
Anwar emphasised that Malaysia “does not believe in spheres of influence.”
”History has shown that when major powers attempt to divide the world into exclusive zones of control, smaller nations are often left voiceless," he said.
He noted that stability “does not come from carving up the map, but from creating space for all to participate meaningfully in shaping the order we live in.”
What are "spheres of influence"?
The idea of “spheres of influence” refers to the ability for powers to demand deference from states in their own regions, or exert influence within them.
The concept was once considered an outdated and obsolete geopolitical concept following the end of the Cold War.
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had said, for instance, that “the United States does not recognise spheres of influence”.
For some, however, the concept has since gained currency amidst rising global tensions, and perceived great power contestation.
Anwar said that while Malaysia welcomes “a strong and enduring United States presence in the region”, it also valuables its “vibrant and firm ties with China and our robust partnership across Asia, Europe and the global South.”
He called for a “dynamic equilibrium” in Southeast Asia that enables “cooperation without coercion,” adding:
“For Malaysia, this is a deliberate and strategic posture to help preserve an open region, to assert our sovereignty, and to make our own choices.”
Top photo from IISS/Youtube & Canva.
