Can Malaysia’s Mahathir Mohamad achieve economic balance with China on upcoming visit?
Kuala Lumpur is keen to reduce its national debt, Beijing is looking for allies, and both want to remove uncertainty, observers say
Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad will be seeking greater balance in economic ties between China and Malaysia when he visits Beijing this week, while both sides will be keen to remove any uncertainty in their relationship, diplomats and observers said.
Mahathir is expected to arrive in China on Friday and stay until August 21. It will be his first visit since he returned to power in May, and comes as Beijing remains locked in a trade war with the United States, and eager to win support from and strengthen ties with its neighbours.
But the decision by the new leader to review China-backed investment and projects in Malaysia as well as his outspoken attitude on South China Sea disputes have unnerved Beijing.
A Malaysian official who is involved in the preparations for Mahathir’s visit said Kuala Lumpur was looking for more balance in its economic ties with Beijing, especially as much of its crippling national debt was owed to China.
The Southeast Asian country also wanted to lower the cost of the projects, and get Malaysian companies and workers more involved in them, said the official, who asked not to be named.
