Asia Sentinel

Asia Sentinel

Politics

Facing China with Quiet Pragmatism

Malaysia’s diplomacy in the South China Sea caters to possible stormy days ahead

Nov 03, 2026
∙ Paid
By: BA Hamzah

Malaysia’s quiet diplomacy in the South China Sea is more than hedging or positioning between two rival powers. At its core, the policy is intended to soften China’s assertiveness by ensuring that the US-China rivalry will not undermine Malaysia’s economic and security interests. A well-crafted policy based on Malaysia’s friendly culture sh…

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