Malaysia keeps eye on ‘status quo’, Beijing trade ties with quiet approach in South China Sea

Malaysia’s low-key response to Chinese coastguard patrols of its exclusive economic zone (EEZ) signals an interest in maintaining economic ties with Beijing and a desire not to “politicise or unilaterally alter the status quo in the region”, analysts have said.

On February 17, the China Coast Guard 5403 vessel sailed off the coast of Malaysia to begin a period of intrusive patrolling into the country’s oil and gas fields, according to SeaLight, a Stanford University project focused on grey zone activities in the South China Sea. The patrol is still ongoing.

Ngeow Chow-Bing, director of the Institute of China Studies at the University of Malaya, said Malaysia had maintained a low profile approach to China’s maritime intrusions for more than a decade, preferring to register its protests through diplomatic channels while sending out navy and coastguard vessels to keep an eye on the Chinese boats.

“This is the standard approach and will remain so unless the status quo is disrupted,” Ngeow said, adding that a “noisier” approach was unnecessary and could even be counterproductive.

While Malaysia’s trade and economic ties with China were important, Ngeow said the country also derived benefits from having a stable and positive relationship with Beijing while carefully managing their differences.

In a rare instance of vocal opposition, Malaysia publicly spoke out against China’s latest map last August that laid claim to virtually the entire South China Sea, including areas off the coast of Malaysian Borneo.

“However, it is felt that there is no need to dwell on this map after the official position has been clearly stated,” Ngeow said.

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, on a visit to China last September, said Beijing had assured