Beijing Commends Anwar's One China Stance; Taiwan Rebukes
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- Anwar Ibrahim told Al Jazeera in an interview aired Aug 17 that he sees Taiwan as part of China 'period' and, citing Malaysia's own approach to separatism, said he would use force to stop a province from breaking away because 'otherwise (the country) will be fragmented'.
- China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson posted on X on Wednesday that 'China commends Malaysian PM Anwar Ibrahim's remarks on the Taiwan question' and declared 'nothing will stop China from being reunified.'
- Spokesperson Lin Jian told a regular press briefing that upholding the One China principle 'reflects popular sentiment' and 'stands on the side of what is right,' per Xinhua.
- Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned Anwar's comments as 'false,' accusing him of 'absurdly implying that (Taiwan) is a separatist province of China' and warning that his stance 'could negatively affect the confidence of Taiwanese businesses investing in Malaysia.'
- A 2025 joint statement between Malaysia's and China's foreign ministries already recognized the PRC as the 'sole legal government of China' and described Taiwan as 'inalienable territory of the People's Republic of China.'
- Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil, the Malaysian government's spokesperson, said on Wednesday that Anwar's comments were 'not discussed' at the weekly cabinet meeting.
Why it matters: Anwar went beyond routine One China boilerplate by explicitly endorsing the use of force and analogizing Taiwan to a breakaway Malaysian province, giving Beijing one of its bluntest recent endorsements from a Southeast Asian leader. Taiwan's response ties the diplomatic spat directly to economic stakes, flagging Taiwanese investment confidence in Malaysia as collateral damage.
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