Kuala Lumpur: Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim is scheduled to visit China next week as the two nations address ongoing tensions in the disputed South China Sea. Anwar’s trip, described as a ‘working visit,’ will occur between November 4 and 7, following an invitation from Beijing, as disclosed by Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Lin Jian in a brief statement. The agenda for the visit has not been publicly detailed.
According to Anadolu Agency, this marks Anwar’s second official visit to China since his inauguration in November 2022. His first official trip to China was in March 2023, where he met with President Xi Jinping. Despite the official nature of these visits, Anwar has also traveled to China for various events.
The relationship between Beijing and Kuala Lumpur, which celebrated a decade of comprehensive strategic partnership in 2023, is complicated by overlapping claims in the South China Sea. Beijing has previously urged Malaysia to cease oil and gas exploration in disputed areas. Noneth
eless, Anwar has consistently maintained Malaysia’s position on continuing exploration activities. Earlier this month, he affirmed to Parliament that state-run energy company Petronas would persist in its operations within Malaysia’s exclusive economic zone, including the Kasawari gas field off Sarawak in East Malaysia.
Anwar has emphasized Malaysia’s willingness to engage in discussions with other countries, despite ongoing exploration activities. He acknowledged that Malaysia’s territorial disputes in the region extend beyond China but noted that these issues do not affect diplomatic or trade relations with neighboring nations.