Future of the World Shifting Towards South-Centred Economy - Former Malaysian FM
By Kisho Kumari Sucedaram
BEIJING, April 14 (Bernama) -- The future of the world is increasingly shifting towards the south-centred economy, with Asia at the heart of this transformation and China playing the role of a major engine of global economic growth, said former Foreign Minister Dr Syed Hamid Albar.
In an interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN) for its Global South Voices programme, Syed Hamid stressed the importance of embracing cooperation, mutual respect and shared development among nations, particularly within the context of Global South collaboration.
“We are moving towards a South-centred future, and Asia is going to be at the centre of that change,” he said.
He noted that Malaysia's relationship with China is rooted in historical and diplomatic milestones, highlighting that Malaysia was the first ASEAN country to establish diplomatic ties with China – a move made even before the normalisation of relations by many other nations.
Syed Hamid also acknowledged China’s steadfast support during regional crises, particularly during the 1997-1998 Asian financial crisis.
“Even when we were facing financial challenges, China never gave up on ASEAN, especially Malaysia. China has been with us from the start,” he said.
Emphasising Malaysia’s foreign policy direction, he said it is rooted in independence, cooperation, and development, and not dictated by rivalry or power competition.
“Moreover, ASEAN should not be a platform for big power rivalry. We do not want to be told what we should do and that is not how we conduct our foreign policy.
“The key words are cooperation, mutual respect and recognising the dignity of independent nations,” he said.
He also praised China’s approach to global engagement, describing it as cooperative rather than hegemonic.
“There is no tendency to be domineering. That is why we are confident in working with China. They share and invest, and both sides gain,” he said.
Syed Hamid also said three East Asian countries collaborate very well with Asia region, namely China, South Korea, and Japan.
He emphasised that it is better to have “a platform to have flow of investments from all these three countries as well as technology in order to expedite and accelerate investment.”
Syed Hamid added that the evolving geopolitical landscape must not result in division, but instead be leveraged to promote positive growth and global understanding.
He reaffirmed Malaysia’s commitment to open and investment-friendly policies, noting that both Western and Eastern partners remain important.
-- BERNAMA
