REUTERS Carlos Garcia Rawlins File Photo
KUALA LUMPUR, September 22 Reuters: Malaysia has said on Wednesday that it plans to seek China's position on the new defence partnership between the United States, Britain and Australia, days after sounding the alarm that the pact could trigger nuclear war in the region.
The alliance, known as AUKUS, will see Australia get technology to deploy nuclear powered submarines as part of the agreement intended to respond to growing China power, especially in the strategically important South China SeaChina Sea.
Indonesia and Malaysia warned that it would lead to an arms race in Southeast Asia amid a burgeoning superpower rivalry in Indonesia, while the Philippines has backed the pact as a means of maintaining the region's balance of power. The defence minister Hishammuddin Hussein proposed an immediate work trip to China on Wednesday to discuss AUKUS.
We need to get the views of the leadership of China, especially China's defense, on AUKUS that was announced by three countries and what are their actions following the announcement, Hishammuddin said in parliament.
China has said the plan risks severely damaging the regional peace and stability.
Hishammuddin said he had urged his Chinese counterpart Peter Dutton to approach Brunei, Chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations ASEAN as well as Cambodia, Myanmar, Vietnam - Vietnam - China's neighhours - to address concerns about the region's security.
Our strength is not when we are alone, our strength is when these 10 ASEAN members united to see the position and security of the region be defended, he said.
Hishammuddin added that the current focus is to balance the two major powers in the context of AUKUS, plus Malaysia's relationship with the Five Power Defence Arrangements, a 1971 consultation pact reached at the height of the Cold War between Britain, Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia and Singapore.
He said that it should be used as leverage to balance the major powers.