Abstract
China’s rise has led analysts to look for signs that Southeast Asian states like Malaysia are bandwagoning with Beijing. Following Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak’s 2016 visit to Beijing where significant economic and defense agreements were signed, some argued that Malaysia was tilting toward China. This article argues that Najib’s visit does not represent a major shift toward China. Malaysia has been deepening its political and security ties with other countries, particularly the United States, in an attempt to hedge its bets and maintain its traditional independent stance. China’s assertiveness in the South China Sea and willingness to intervene in Malaysia’s domestic politics are raising concerns about China among some elements of the Malaysian elite, thereby creating potential obstacles to a further strengthening of the Sino-Malaysian relationship.
PDF