The Malaysian Insight

DESPITE Pakatan Harapan’s rocky start with Beijing last year, China’s relationship with Malaysia has always been closest under Dr Mahathir Mohamad, said Michael Chen, the man who helped establish bilateral ties between the two nations 45 years ago.

Speaking to The Malaysian Insight on the 45th anniversary of Malaysia-China ties, Chen now 87, said he was Barisan Nasional secretary-general and also president of the Malaysia Table Tennis Association when he was asked by second prime minister Abdul Razak Hussein to work on establishing ties with the communist country.

All Chen had at the time was “ping-pong diplomacy” by virtue of his position in the sports association but he used it to his advantage.

He then led the Malaysian table tennis team to Beijing to participate in an international competition while passing on Razak’s offer of friendship to the Chinese government. 

“We have had strong bilateral ties since,” the octogenarian told The Malaysian Insight.

Chen credits Razak’s forward vision as paving the way for the strong ties with China.

“Both Malaysia and China at the time were young nations and China was not a wealthy nation then. However, Razak did not think China had to be rich to be a worthy friend,” he said.

But it was under Dr Mahathir, during his stint as Malaysia’s fourth prime minister, that China became a true ally, Chen said.

Dr Mahathir led a 300-man delegation in an official visit to China in 1985 and it was then did more meaningful ties truly start.

Chen, who was part of the delegation, said the group included many Chinese-Malaysian businessmen and senior government officials. Dr Mahathir continued to visit China many times later during his tenure.

“Abdul Razak Hussein had established bilateral ties with China, but it is Dr Mahathir who turned China into a close ally.”

According to records, Dr Mahathir officially visited China seven times after he became prime minister in 1981. These were 1985, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1999, and twice in 2001, before he stepped down in 2003.

After becoming prime minister for a second time in 2018, Dr Mahathir’s first official foreign visit was to China and he also attended the One Belt One Road summit for the second time in April this year.

On heightened tensions with China after PH took over the government, Chen said Dr Mahathir seemed to have achieved a new level of understanding with China after recent visits to the country.

“For any relationship to succeed, you have to understand each other and adapt to others instead of waiting for others to adapt to you.”

With the new understanding with China, Dr Mahathir and Deputy Prime Minister Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, and many other ministers have had official visits to China since.

“We can see that the ministers in this new government have changed their attitude towards China. They now know China is more progressive than they thought, even more progressive than the US in some ways. I believe that Malaysia-China ties will only get better,” he said.

Common ground

Chen said Malaysia and China had common ground that paved the way for both countries to establish ties. The main shared experience was being occupied by the Japanese.

“China has been independent for about 70 years, while Malaysia has been independent for about 60 years. 

“When we first established ties, our circumstances were not that different. We were both invaded by Japan, and they occupied us for three years and eight months. We were both bullied by the Japanese and there we found common ground.”

The ping-pong diplomacy with China started in 1971 but it was not until May 31, 1974 that an agreement was signed, establishing formal bilateral ties.

There were some bones of contention when establishing bilateral ties. These involved the Chinese community in Malaysia, of whom about 300,000 had identity cards proving their citizenship. With their family members and relatives, the total number was in the millions.

Beijing at the time considered them Chinese citizens, while Razak insisted that they were Malaysians.

This was discussed between Chinese and Malaysian government officials during talks in New York in April 1972 but no solution was reached. Talks temporarily broke down in 1973.

The Malaysian government then reached out to China in 1974 again and managed to revive talks, culminating with the formal establishment of bilateral ties, Chen said.

Given the long and warm ties with China, Malaysia’s change in government last year, despite a rocky start when Dr Mahathir cancelled or reviewed several China-backed mega-projects, would not shake ties too badly, he said.

“A relationship is never smooth sailing, there’s bound to be some change, but I’m happy to see that bilateral ties were restored quickly.

“We are exploring new territory but there are many factors behind Malaysia’s ties with China. The bilateral relationship between Malaysia and China is strong, even if the government changes, the relationship will stay because the foundation we built is strong.

“We were the first country in Asean to establish ties with China. As long as the Chinese government knows that we are a friendly nation to them, we will always be allies.”

Malaysian first

Even though he feels a connection to China after watching the country grow in the past 45 years, Chen said he still feels more Malaysian than anything else, and considers his roots to be in Malaysia.

“I was born and raised here, so I am Malaysian. Even though I have affection for China, I have compartmentalised the two.

“When it’s Malaysia versus China in badminton, I will definitely support Malaysia. But when it’s China against other countries, I will support China. As a Malaysian citizen, my loyalty is with my country,” he said.

Chen said Razak had hoped that China will become a major economic force when it established diplomatic ties with Malaysia as both countries were similar economically but he never would have imagined that China would become the world’s second largest economy.

“Why establish ties? It’s because at the time, we hoped that China could help us grow, and we could help each other out when there’s a need. 

“Now, China’s One Belt One Road initiative is the best way to share China’s economic benefit. 

“Forty-five years ago, Malaysia had the wisdom and courage to forge ties with China, becoming the first Asean nation to have a formal relationship with China. After decades of cooperation, trials and tribulation together, the two countries are at a new level of understanding.”

Chen was a former Dewan Negara president and was awarded the honorific title of Tun in 2017 by then Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Muhammad V for his contributions to the country.

Chen entered politics under Razak, contesting in 1964 and then in 1969, where he lost badly. In 1972, he was elected as MCA’s Hulu Selangor MP with Razak’s help.

He was then elevated to deputy minister by Razak and subsequently promoted to minister in 1974. When formal ties were established with China the same year, and after Razak visited the communist country with Chen in tow, the latter knew he had consolidated his political position. – August 29, 2019.