PETALING JAYA: China’s Belt and Road Initiative, which represents an unprecedented opportunity for regional integration, aligns well with Asean’s commitment to enhancing connectivity and inclusive development across member states, says Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
The Prime Minister said the initiative complements Asean’s aim to ensure that all countries, from the largest to the smallest, benefit from the wave of progress.
He said the strong Asean-China relations also reflect the commitment of both parties towards innovation and emerging technologies.
“As we look forward to strengthening Asean-China relations, it is essential that we draw inspiration from the principles that guide our cooperation.
“On this score, I would like to note that I am deeply moved by President Xi Jinping’s steadfast commitment to fairness and justice,” he said when delivering a public lecture titled Bridging Futures: Strengthening Malaysia-China Relations and Asean Centrality in Shifting Global Order at Peking University.
The text of his speech was made available to the Malaysian media here.
As Asean chair next year, Anwar said Malaysia will initiate a trilateral forum involving Asean, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and China to introduce a unique dimension to Asean-China relations.
“This platform aims to expand Asean’s partnerships and recognise the Gulf region’s growing significance in global trade and geopolitics.
“By linking Asean, China and the GCC, we can build a bridge between East Asia, South-East Asia and the Middle East, enabling deeper economic, cultural and strategic ties among our regions.
“This will contribute towards creating a shared vision for cooperation on global challenges such as energy security, sustainable development and economic diversification,” he explained.
The Prime Minister added that Malaysia will champion the principle of Asean centrality to realise the vision of “inclusivity and sustainability”, where all members would benefit from growth and development.
“This is a concept that places Asean at the heart of regional peace, security and economic cooperation.
“Asean centrality allows our region to interact constructively with global powers while maintaining our independence.
“Centrality means that no nation, no matter how big, should unilaterally dictate what another nation should or should not do, or how it must or must not act,” he said.
On China’s shared prosperity policy, Anwar said China has the moral high ground to advocate the principle of a shared future as its remarkable achievement in eradicating extreme poverty has earned global recognition.
Addressing socio-economic inequality has been the top priority of his government, the Prime Minister said, adding that Malaysia shares China’s belief that the true measure of national progress is the well-being of all citizens, particularly the most vulnerable.
“This vision is one we deeply share in Malaysia and Asean, a vision of a balanced global order where nations, regardless of size or might, find security and prosperity through cooperation and mutual respect.
“Therefore, we need to work together to build a deeper, more mature partnership, one that celebrates achievements and values open and constructive dialogue.
“Real progress happens when we move beyond words to actions that foster trust and address challenges,” the Prime Minister added.
