KUALA LUMPUR: According to Datuk Dr Shazelina Zainul Abidin, the director-general of the Diplomacy and Foreign Relations Institute, Malaysia’s objection to China’s recent map claiming authority over most of the South China Sea is based on concerns about sovereignty.
Dr Abidin stated that the government would reject any information released by third parties that is detrimental to Malaysia’s interests or factually incorrect in terms of diplomacy.
In terms of diplomatic protocol, the government has either already submitted or is in the process of submitting a protest note, as the objective is to ensure that Malaysia does not become complacent with the situation.
“We do not recognize China’s unilateral decision to release this map, just as they do not recognize many of the unilateral decisions made by other countries. This is all about issues of sovereignty,” said Dr Abidin to reporters at the Cultural and Civilisational Diplomacy: The Framework and Best Practices forum, as reported by Bernama.
China’s Natural Resources Ministry issued the “China Standard Map Edition 2023” on Monday, which also claims the exclusive economic zone maritime areas of Malaysia near Sabah and Sarawak, Brunei, the Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam, and certain areas in India.
Two days later, the Malaysian Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the country does not recognize China’s claims in the South China Sea and asserted that the map has no legally binding authority over Malaysia.
Furthermore, the Foreign Affairs Minister, Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir, announced that the government would send a protest note to China regarding their claims.
Regarding the forum, Dr Abidin explained that the program aims to provide training to junior diplomats in order to develop a holistic approach grounded in their own principles, moral beliefs, and spirituality, rather than solely focusing on economic, financial, or trade terms.
This approach allows junior diplomats to gain a better understanding of Malaysia’s position on the international stage, she added.
Credit: The Star : News Feed
