WITH tensions rising between the US and China, an academic urged Malaysia and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) took take heed of the geopolitical changes taking place while dealing with domestic issues.
“Malaysia and Asean must take note. The continued civil unrest in Myanmar, as well as the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak, may lead to Asean countries to pay less attention to the rising discord between the US and China,” HELP University Faculty of Business, Economics and Accounting and Institute Crime and Criminology senior lecturer R Paneir Selvam told FocusM.
Since last month, the US and its allies have escalated measures to contain China’s rise as a global power, which the latter have noticed and took counter-measures.
Last month, Japan’s Deputy Defense Minister, Yasuhide Nakayama warned of a growing threat presented by the growing Sino-Russian ties, adding it was important for global powers do something about Beijing’s pressure on Taiwan and safeguard the island “as a democratic country”.
Japan’s Deputy Prime Minister Taro Aso also stated earlier this month that in the event of a major conflict, Japan and the US would have to defend Taiwan, as reported in Kyoto news portal.
On July 14, the US Senate unanimously passed a legislation to prohibit the import of products from China’s Xinjiang region. The leaders of G7, in a joint statement at the end of a three-day summit last month, urged China to “respect human rights and fundamental freedoms” of the people of Xinjiang.
However, China shot back at them, saying their accusations of human rights abuses were unfounded and urged G7 leaders to stop meddling in the country’s internal affairs.
It is note that both US and Japan became close allies after World War 2. While the latter’s pacifist Constitution bars its military from operating outside country, Japan has beefed up its defense capabilities in the last decade due to the rise of China, with Washington’s nod.
China have long claimed rights over Taiwan as part of the nation, adding that it would not hesitate to use force to take back the island should its leadership declare independence.
US shifting focus to the Pacific, China countering
Elaborating on the matter, the US and its allies’ recent statements indicate that the tension between them and China were getting serious and more visible, as opposed in the past.
“While many are calling the US’ withdrawal from Afghanistan as the superpower’s failure, it is not necessarily the case.
“It actually indicates that the US is charting a new dimension to hold tight to its hegemony over the world.
“By maintaining a minimal presence in Afghanistan and requesting assistance from regional countries to maintain peace and security there, they are signalling that their focus is shifting elsewhere, or in this case, China,” Paneir Selvam opined.
Providing evidence that the US was now shifting its focus to this region, the academic said that it has named its movements in the Pacific as Operation Pacific Iron.
He added that Americans only adds the label “operation” when it involves elements of military movements or deployment.
“Remember, the US Government’s official term for the Global War on Terrorism was Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF).
“And Operation Desert Storm was a military campaign to drive occupying Iraqi soldiers out of Kuwait, which Iraq had invaded and occupied a few months before back in the 1990s,” Paneir Selvam noted.
Coming back to the Asean equation, he urged member nations to reemphasise the Zone of Peace, Freedom, and Neutrality (ZOPFAN) proclamation made in 1971.
“Based on the Bandung Principles agreed upon at the 1955 Afro-Asian Conference in Bandung, Indonesia, the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) was formally created in 1961 at the Belgrade Summit.
“One of the ten principles of the Bandung Principles is non-use of collective defense pacts to benefit specific interests of any of the global powers. It also stressed on the non-use of pressure by any country against another,” he reminded.
Despite having close political and economic ties with the US, Japan and China, Paneir Selvam reiterated the need for Asean to remind big powers of its neutrality and will not allow the region to be used as a launch pad to attack other countries.
“As for Malaysia, we have close cooperation with all the countries mentioned. While we have recently leaned towards China for economic reasons, this should not impact our decision later on.
“Now is the time for Malaysia to take the lead, by urging Asean to express its position clearly, as the world may be headed for a potential confrontation,” he remarked. – July 20, 2021.
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