KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia will strive to ensure the South China Sea remains conflict-free under its Asean chairmanship, says Defence Minister Datuk Seri Khaled Nordin.
He said diplomacy should remain the key to resolving conflicts and hostilities among countries in the region should be avoided.
“We accept the fact there are overlapping claims and issues but diplomacy is not dead.
“Most countries in Asean accept the fact that China is our neighbour, a country that is economically strong and technologically advanced.
“We have to live with China but (the question is whether) we want to live in a peaceful manner or in a situation where we have continuous problems and hostility.
“Malaysia, as Asean Chairman, will help steer the region so that it will not face any conflict,” he said in a panel discussion on Asean Dynamism: Capitalising on Opportunities & Navigating Transitions at the Malaysia Economic Forum.
The minister was asked on the need for a united military exercise among Asean members to curb China’s overlapping claims in the region.
Khaled said Malaysia remains firm on its claim in the disputed territory of the South China Sea, stressing that this was non-negotiable.
“We understand that the stakes have never been higher for incidents between the sea’s claimant states.
“There are many overlapping claims over the region; not only between Malaysia and China. But we all agree that no one can afford for the South China Sea to be a theatre of conflicts,” he said.
He added that as Asean Chair, Malaysia’s main agenda will also focus on expediting the conclusion to the Code of Conduct which also involves China.
Geopolitical expert Elina Noor said rising tensions in the South China Sea could potentially impact Malaysia and should be addressed by the government and relevant stakeholders.
“The situation is changing at the South China Sea. There are escalations that could impact us.
“A lot of things are going on in the cyber space which are also intersecting with what is going on with the maritime space and we may need to have more serious discussion about it,” said the Asia Programme senior fellow at Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
With more Asean member countries being assertive in their claims to the area, she said Malaysia’s “muted approach” should be re-evaluated.
“It might have worked for us so far, but I’m not sure if this (approach) will continue, particularly if the involved parties are being more assertive in their claims,” said Elina, who is also a panellist at the discussion.
Earlier this week, it was reported that the Philippines deployed air and sea assets of its military and coast guard in its exclusive economic zone to monitor China’s largest coast guard vessel, calling the ship’s presence an act of Chinese “intimidation, coercion and aggression”.
