You probably saw their Facebook status. Malaysia just changed its relationship status with America to “it’s complicated.” Never saw it coming. I mean, they looked so great together!
In 2014, Obama became the first president in nearly half a century to visit Malaysia, and its prime minister, Najib Razak. Najib let the US make surveillance flights over the South China Sea from Malaysian territory. Then the two them spent Christmas Eve together playing golf in Hawaii.
But then Li Keqiang came along and ruined everything. Now Najib is calling China “a true friend,” and wants to take their relationship to “new heights.” Najib is in China this week. He’s already signed an agreement to buy four Chinese naval vessels for about 34 billion dollars. It’s Malaysia’s first big defense deal with China. And frankly, a lot to spend on a first date.
More shocking, Malaysia has “pledged with Beijing to handle South China Sea disputes bilaterally.” It wasn’t supposed to be like this. The Philippines, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Brunei have all been in long-standing territorial disputes with China over the South China Sea. And Obama was the knight in shining armor with his mighty Pivot to Asia, the hero who pledged to protect the little guy from big red dragon. But now, says Prime Minister Najib, one should not let “former colonial powers” “lecture countries they once exploited on how to conduct their own internal affairs.”
First the Philippines, now Malaysia. And if the Philippines and now Malaysia have decided to negotiate their disputes with China bilaterally, that weakens everyone’s ability to negotiate as a bloc with US muscle behind them. So the real winner here is China. Divide and conquer. It’s the same strategy kids with divorced parents use to get more Christmas gifts.
Now I can’t say for sure why Malaysia or the Philippines have decided to go this route, but China is Malaysia’s biggest trading partner. The second biggest for the Philippines.
And, let’s be honest, even in his awesome knight costume, Obama hasn’t been able to accomplish much when it comes to resolving the South China Sea dispute. But within just four months of taking office, Philippines president Duterte seems to have solved the problem...at least for for Filipino fishermen.
Maybe Najib sees that and thinks, if you give a little, you'll get a little. All you have to do is give up your territorial claims. Now you might think, this route the Philippines and now Malaysia are taking seems a bit like giving up ownership of your house in exchange for the privilege of renting it. It sounds like a lousy deal.
But there could also be another reason for their cozying up with China. Remember how the US criticized Duterte’s extra-judicial killings in his war on drugs? And then reneged on selling assault rifles to The Philippines? And then Dutere was all like, “Mister Obama, you can go to hell.” Well, a similar thing back in July—when the US sort of accused Malaysia’s prime minister of stealing money from his own country.
Long story short, three-and-a-half billion dollars went missing from a Malaysian sovereign wealth fund. The US filed lawsuits to seize some of the assets the money bought. The investigation is still ongoing and Prime Minister Najib has not been formally charged with anything. But it did kind of put a strain US-Malaysia relations.
So...China! The Chinese regime won’t criticize you for extrajudicial killings or corruption. Obviously. So if that’s your thing, well, I can see why you'd want to ditch the red-white-and-blue knight for the red dragon.
So what do you think about Malaysia’s new ties with China? Leave your comments below.
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