Malaysia stays committed to multilateral trade, says Tengku Zafrul
JOHOR BARU: Malaysia will continue to engage major trading partners, including China, the European Union (EU) and the United States (US), despite warnings from Beijing over deals made at its expense.
Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz reaffirmed Malaysia's long-held stance on multilateralism.
Zafrul said Putrajaya would not be drawn into taking sides amid rising geopolitical and trade friction.
"Malaysia has always been consistent in our belief in multilateralism. We engage with all partners, be it China, the EU or the US, based on mutual benefit and respect for global trade rules," he told a press conference at the Johor-Singapore joint business and investment forum, held at the Persada Johor Internation Convention Centre here, today.
Zafrul was responding to comments from China's Ministry of Commerce, which warned countries against negotiating trade deals with the US that could undermined Chinese interests, cautioning that such moves may trigger countermeasures.
Without naming China directly, Zafrul said Malaysia's priority was to ensure its own economic interests are safeguarded.
"Any trade agreement, bilateral or multilateral, must serve Malaysia's interests first..our businesses, our exporters, our workers," he said.
"We do not subscribe to a zero-sum approach. Our engagement is principled and pragmatic," he said.
He stressed that Malaysia, as part of Asean, will continue to advocate for rules-based global trade and remains committed to strengthening supply chains through cooperation - not confrontation.
"Asean's centrality and neutrality have always been the foundation of our engagement. We don't see trade as a battleground, but as a platform for growth and shared prosperity," he added.
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