Brian Hioeby Brian Hioe
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Photo Credit: Laily Rachev/Public Domain
MALAYSIAN PRIME MINISTER Anwar Ibrahim has stoked controversy after comments read as not only reinforcing a view of Taiwan as part of China, but also expressing support for China retaking Taiwan by force if necessary.
In particular, during an interview with Al-Jazeera, Ibrahim stated, “I see Taiwan as part of China, period. You may disagree with [that] there are some excesses. Yes, express your view, but it must be in the context. It is one China. It is accepted by all.”
Ibrahim next went on to suggest how he might act if in a similar situation. He stated that if in the same situation as prime minister of Malaysia, “If one province decides to break away, do we use force? I think I will protect the sanctity and unity of the nation.” In the same interview, Anwar defends China, claiming that concerns about Chinese aggression are ramped up by western concerns.
Subsequent comments saw Ibrahim refuse to retract the comments, unusually highlighting the US Civil War to suggest how the US has historically acted under similar circumstances–though, of course, one notes that the US previously fought a war of independence from Great Britain. Still, Ibrahim later stated, “Of course, we respect China’s position, but a peaceful path is best. That is what is being pursued now.”
Malaysia has historically maintained a One China Policy since 1974 that acknowledged but did not recognize the Chinese position on Taiwan. Yet more recent statements by Malaysia have suggested that Malaysia now not only acknowledges, but recognizes China’s position, as seen in statements in 2004, 2024, and 2025. Some have interpreted Ibrahim’s comments as suggesting that Malaysia has now shifted away from the One China Policy toward a direct recognition of China’s One China Principle.
Taiwan has hit back at the comments, denying that Taiwan is a province of China. Though not likely a short-term response, Ibrahim’s comments may, in the long term, affect Malaysia’s efforts to become an AI powerhouse if they dissuade Taiwanese semiconductor companies from setting up facilities in Malaysia. Certainly, the Taiwanese government may use semiconductors as a point of leverage over Malaysia, as it did when South Africa previously tried to force Taiwan to move its representative office out of the capital of Pretoria in a move that was also perceived as pleasing China.
What should be concerning for Taiwan, however, is that Ibrahim’s statements reflect a trend of ASEAN leaders pivoting to China. One has seen signs of Indonesia possibly pivoting toward China under the presidential administration of Prabowo Subianto, with a recent joint naval exercise held between the Indonesian navy and People’s Liberation Army Navy in waters east of Taiwan.
The Indonesian government has denied that the exercises were meant for anything apart from routine, peaceful practice of maritime coordination; it is possible that the Prabowo administration intends to build closer ties with China. So, too, likely with Malaysia.
What the Prabowo administration or Ibrahim administration would share, of course, is that they are far-right-wing political administrations with authoritarian tendencies. It may not surprise that they would seek to align with China, if only out of frustration from criticisms on human rights grounds from Western countries.
While Taiwan may have a far different record on human rights and democracy than such countries, Taiwan does stand to lose trading partners through such realignments. Taiwan has, after all, in past years sought to strengthen economic ties with Southeast Asian countries in order to diversify investments away from overreliance on the Chinese market.
Still, it proves ironic when the Prabowo and Ibrahim governments are sometimes seen as Islamist governments. China, after all, imprisons Muslim-majority Uyghurs en masse in what it claims to be “reeducation camps” because of their religion. Yet if the governments of both countries have been accused in the past of fanning up Islamist sentiment in such a manner that targets minorities, perhaps then they do have commonalities and shared values with the Chinese government.