Malaysia’s Anwar puts non-aligned stance in focus with remarks on Taiwan
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s recent comments about Taiwan have raised questions about whether Malaysia is still committed to its traditional policy of non-alignment and not picking sides between China and the United States. In an interview with Al Jazeera that aired earlier this month, Anwar stated that he saw Taiwan “as part of China, period”, adding that this was “accepted by all”.
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Key Facts
- Fact 1: The iconic Taipei 101 skyscraper, the tallest building in Taiwan, can be seen between an alleyway in Taipei on December 26, 2022 [Chiang Ying-ying/AP]Asked about the issue by local media, Anwar appeared to walk back some of his comments, stressing that Malaysia respected China’s position but favoured a peaceful resolution to tensions in the Taiwan Strait.
- Fact 2: The Philippine government is in the process of upgrading military facilities on the island of Balabac, 50km (31 miles) from the Malaysian islands of Banggi and Balambangan.
- Fact 3: Flags bearing the hammer and sickle are flown in front of Tiananmen Gate in Beijing, China, on June 4, 2026 [File: Ng Han Guan/AP]However, some analysts push back against suggestions of Malaysia undergoing a strategic realignment.
- Fact 4: Chee Meng Tan, an assistant professor of business economics at the University of Nottingham Malaysia, noted that Malaysia’s recognition of Taiwan as “part of China” dates to the 1974 communiqué that then-Prime Minister Tun Abdul Razak signed with Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai to establish diplomatic relations between their countries.
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s recent comments about Taiwan have raised questions about whether Malaysia is still committed to its traditional policy of non-alignment and not picking sides between China and the United States. In an interview with Al Jazeera that aired earlier this month, Anwar stated that he saw Taiwan “as part of China, period”, adding that this was “accepted by all”.
US soldier who called for Trump impeachment facing military charges Seven killed in Gaza as Israeli strike ‘destroys’ aid supply warehouse Who was the ‘Queen of Country’ Dolly Parton? US judge blocks Ohio law requiring proof of citizenship to register to vote More controversially, when asked whether he would condemn China if it resorted to force in the event that peaceful “reunification” did not work, Anwar said that if a Malaysian state were attempting to break away, he would use force to “protect the sanctity and unity of” Malaysia. Anwar’s comments were praised by the Chinese government, with a Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman stressing that Taiwan is “an inalienable part of China’s territory” and that “China must and will be reunited”.
(Original synthesis pending human/AI review — generated by the stub provider by selecting real sentences from the source material, not by writing new analysis or commentary.)
Original source: Al Jazeera
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