The Balancing Act in Malaysia-China Bilateral Relations

Foreign Minister Dato’ Seri Hishammudin Hussein courted controversy during his recent visit to China, when he referred to his counterpart Wang Yi as an “elder brother.” Despite the apparent faux pas, there were several notable outcomes from the visit, including the establishment of a high-level committee for post-Covid-19 cooperation. We discuss the state of Malaysia-China bilateral relations and the calculations being made on each side amid the broader geopolitical tensions between East and West with foreign policy expert Dr. Johan Saravanamuttu.

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