Anwar calls for restraint, diplomacy in South China Sea dispute

New Straits Times

31-05-2025

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia has called on all parties involved in the South China Sea dispute to exercise restraint and avoid actions that could lead to further escalation.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the dispute is best resolved through steady, principled diplomacy.
"Malaysia remains deeply concerned about the potential for escalation among the claimants in the South China Sea. We have no interest in seeing tensions spiral into confrontation, least of all in waters so critical to our security and prosperity.
"That is why we will continue to engage all parties calmly, directly, and consistently. We will urge restraint, encourage dialogue, and work to preserve the stability on which this region depends.
"Above all, we remain steadfast in our principled insistence that all parties uphold the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea," he said in his speech at the Shangri-La Dialogue, titled Holding Our Ground: Southeast Asia in a Fractured World, in Singapore.
In his speech, Anwar also said that Malaysia does not believe in spheres of influence, as history has shown that when major powers attempt to divide the world into exclusive zones of control, smaller nations are often left voiceless.
"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."
He said Malaysia's approach was one of active non-alignment, where the country engages with all nations to maximise its own strategic space.
"Indeed, while we welcome a strong and enduring United States presence in the region, towards fostering peace, we also value our vibrant and firm ties with China, and our robust partnerships across Asia, Europe, and the Global South."
He said Southeast Asia needs a "dynamic equilibrium" that enables cooperation without coercion, and balance without bloc politics.
"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, on our own terms."