KUALA LUMPUR: Addressing challenges in the South China Sea is a collective effort that cannot be left to any single country alone, said Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin.
He said the issue must be managed through Asean unity and cooperation, as challenges faced by one member state would inevitably affect the entire region.
“That’s why we talk about Asean unity and solidarity. A challenge faced by any Asean country in the region is a problem that all Asean member states will feel.
“So, any country that comes to this region will see that they are not facing a single country, but Asean as a whole,” he said in a press conference after a media walkabout in conjunction with the Asean Defence Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM) here today.
Previously, the mid-term review of the Defence White Paper highlighted that rising tensions in the South China Sea could increase the risk of unintended military clashes, as the presence of major power warships and intensified military aircraft operations continued to escalate the situation.
The report stated that the use of grey-zone tactics — non-military strategies involving subtle challenges — such as hydrographic surveys escorted by foreign coast guard vessels within Malaysia’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), clearly provoked and undermined national sovereignty.
Khaled said Malaysia remains open to engagement and dialogue in addressing challenges in the South China Sea, believing that continued communication is key to building trust and managing tensions.
“We cannot control how any country behaves, whether it is our neighbour, a small country or even a big country.
“But our approach is we need to engage them. We believe that through engagement, we can discuss our differences. But most importantly, through continuous engagement, we can build trust.”
He said such trust must be mutual and sustained through consistent dialogue.
“It is important for every country, not only for Malaysia, to create trust with others, but for others, including China, to create trust with Malaysia.
“So if this approach is adopted by all, even if there are issues and challenges, we will try as far as possible to manage them.”
Khaled said Malaysia’s approach aligns with Asean’s principle of neutrality and collective regional response to maritime and security challenges.
“In our Defence White Paper midterm review, we accept that there are challenges through or from the South China Sea.
“We don’t want to say everything is fine and then be surprised when something happens. We are open about it,” he said.
© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd
