Sort
Active Neutrality: Malaysia in the Middle of U.S.-China Competition

Active Neutrality: Malaysia in the Middle of U.S.-China Competition

Wednesday, October 11, 2023

From its experience of centuries-long colonization to dealing with decades-long Cold War politics, Malaysia is no stranger to navigating major power competition, which it sees as a recurring reality in international politics. Today’s U.S.-China rivalry is just the latest round — it is not the first and it will not be the last. Still, it is important to consider how U.S.-China competition impacts Malaysia and how it, like other small and secondary states in the region, seeks to exercise agency. Even as this major power rivalry intensifies and limits the country’s space for maneuvering, Malaysia insists on employing “equidistant diplomacy” to hedge against multiple risks and cultivate long-term options.

Type: Analysis

Global Policy

Project on Conflict, Democracy and Security

Led by Daniel Brumberg, senior adviser to the Center for Conflict Analysis and Prevention, this project examines the conditions surrounding political reform in unstable and/or divided societies, aiming to provide a guide for peaceful and inclusive democratic transformation.

Conflict Analysis & Prevention