KUALA LUMPUR, April 11 (Xinhua) -- Open dialogue and effective engagement between government officials, academics and media professionals from China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) will provide opportunities to align interests and move together in mutually beneficial ways, according to a Malaysian political observer.
Tan Kar Hing, deputy chairman of Center of Regional Strategic Studies (CROSS), said that against the current backdrop of increasing fragmentation of the global order, working together to develop a more balanced narrative that reflects the perspectives and realities of the Global South will benefit both China and the ASEAN grouping.
"It is vital that we work together to develop a more balanced narrative that reflects the perspectives and realities of the Global South," he said in a recent interview.
Noting that China has a largely positive position in the minds of most ASEAN states and the good people-to-people relations, Tan said both sides viewed economic cooperation as a significant focus of the relationship.
"In many ASEAN countries, China is viewed not just as a global power, but as a close neighbor with deep historical, cultural, and economic ties. Furthermore, China's approach is typically seen as pragmatic, focused on economic cooperation and non-interference in domestic affairs," he said.
For her part, Angeline Tan, a researcher in foreign policy and security studies at Malaysia's Institute of Strategic and International Studies, said that engagement between China and ASEAN states should be further enlarged as a means of building mutual trust.
"China should aim to broaden its people-to-people relations ... This can help warm sentiments between the peoples as well as build mutual understanding," she said.
Tan added that Malaysia, which has long pursued a policy of non-confrontation and neutrality, will also refrain from being pushed into taking sides, but will rather continue to broaden its engagement with the Global South.
"Malaysians are keen on pursuing a diversified set of relationships, which explains our efforts in getting closer to the Global South," she said.
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