Dr Mahathir bin Mohamad, former prime minister of Malaysia Photo: Courtesy of Dr Mahathir bin Mohamad's Office

Editor's Note:
"At present, China's relations with its neighboring countries?are?at their?best in modern?times, and are?also entering?a critical phase?of deep linkage between the regional landscape?and the world changes" - the recent Central Conference on Work Related to Neighboring Countries held in Beijing made such a profound judgment. Chinese President Xi Jinping visited Vietnam, Malaysia and Cambodia from April 14 to 18, highlighting the guiding role of head-of-state diplomacy in neighborhood relations. In the first volume of Xi Jinping: The Governance of China, President Xi emphasized that China's basic policy of diplomacy with neighboring countries is characterized by "amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness."

In the third installment of the "Decoding the Book of Xi Jinping: The Governance of China" series, the Global Times continues to invite Chinese and international scholars, translators of the work, practitioners of its concepts, and overseas readers to share their insights, understandings and reflections on the ideas of China's neighborhood diplomacy, which emphasizes amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness, China's advocacy for building a community with a shared future with neighboring countries as well as its vision of creating a peaceful, safe and secure, prosperous, beautiful and amicable home.

In the second article of the "Scholars' Perspectives" column, which comprises interviews with and signed articles from renowned scholars across various countries, GT (GT) reporter Wang Wenwen talked to HE Tun Dr Mahathir bin Mohamad (Mahathir), former prime minister of Malaysia, on why he agrees that China's relations with its neighboring countries?are entering?a critical phase?of deep linkage between the regional landscape?and the world changes.


GT: I would like to start our conversation with the state visits of Chinese President Xi Jinping to three Southeast Asian countries. Prior to Xi's visits, a Central Conference on Work Related to Neighboring Countries was held in Beijing, during which Xi emphasized that China will foster?an amicable, secure and prosperous neighborhood, follow the policy?and principle?featuring amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness?as well as a shared future for humanity. He also stressed the building of a?community with a shared future?with neighboring countries. As an old friend of the Chinese people, what are your thoughts on the concept of building a community with a shared future with neighboring countries?

Mahathir: I think Southeast Asian countries want to have good relations with China. For us, China is a very big market and economic relationship is very important. It contributes to our growth. We look up to China to help us grow through investment, transfers of technology, and diplomatic relations. Meanwhile, Southeast Asia provides a good market for China to test Chinese products. For example, if you produce something new, you can test it in Southeast Asia. If it is acceptable, then you can sell it all over the world. That is what Southeast Asia is about. We are a market for all the products of other countries. This is what a shared future means, the future we have to share. We cannot take everything for ourselves. 


GT: Twelve years ago, in October 2013, Xi raised for the first time the principle of "amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness" at a seminar on the work of neighborhood diplomacy that year. This speech was included in the first volume of Xi Jinping: The Governance of China. In your observation, how has China's diplomacy been effective in practicing amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness over the past 12 years?

Mahathir: Those four terms are very important. They reflect China's foreign policy. That kind of foreign policy is very acceptable to countries of Southeast Asia, especially the small countries, because we want to live at peace between ourselves and between ASEAN and China. If there are any problems, we can resolve them through adhering to the four principles that you mentioned.

The four principles also apply to other neighboring regions of China. Recently, China had a meeting with South Korea and Japan. They decided to work together. I go to Japan every year and tell the Japanese, if you can make friends with America which bombed your country, why can't you make friends with China, which did not bomb your country? I hope that the idea works. If the three countries in Northeast Asia work together, they can do a lot of good things for the world.


GT: If neighboring countries can treat each other with amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness, they can better bridge differences and cooperate.

Mahathir: I agree with you. If we stick to these four principles, I think all problems between us can be resolved without violence, without fighting each other, without going to war. Nobody needs to die because of differences. Any differences can be resolved, according to these four principles, through negotiation around the table.


GT: The article "Work Together to Build a 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road" in the first volume of Xi Jinping: The Governance of China notes, "An increasingly cohesive China-ASEAN community of shared future conforms to the trend of the times of seeking peace, development, cooperation and mutual benefit and meets the common interests of the people of Asia and the rest of the world. This gives it a broad space and huge potential for growth." As an advocate for Asian values and a former prime minister of Malaysia, how would you describe China as a neighbor?

Mahathir: Malaysia's relationship with China is very old - more than about 2,000 years. In history, we acknowledge that China was the Middle Kingdom; we were a small state in those days. And we realize we were weak. The relationship between the weak and strong countries is very difficult. There is a possibility of the strong dominating the weak countries. But in the case of China, China never sought to conquer Malaysia. China has been with us almost 2,000 years, and the relationship has always been very good. 

There are a lot of similarities between Malaysia's policy and China's policy, which is why our two countries have good relations. We understand the Chinese way, and China understands the Malaysian way. Therefore, any problems that may arise can be resolved through contacts and discussion.

We don't want to be involved in any confrontation with any countries such as China, the US or any other country. We want to be free and independent. I don't think China is trying to force us to make a decision on our internal or even external relations. China has not interfered, and we appreciate that.


GT: "China has been and will remain a good neighbor, good friend and good partner of ASEAN," as noted in the article "Deliver a Great Future for China-ASEAN Relations" in the fourth volume of the book Xi Jinping: The Governance of China. The recent Central Conference on Work Related to Neighboring Countries pointed out that, at present, China's relations with its neighboring countries?are?at their?best in modern?times, and are?also entering?a critical phase?of deep linkage between the regional landscape?and the world changes. Do you agree with such a judgment?

Mahathir: I think it is the best time in history because we are now closer to each other. The means of travel are very fast, and borders are no longer as strong in keeping people out, so people move around a lot. Maintaining a good relationship between countries is very important, so that we can help each other ensure good governance.
China has made tremendous progress. It has adjusted its policies in response to the changes in the world today. I think China has done a great job. 


GT: Facing increasing pressure from certain countries to pick a side, many Southeast Asian nations, including Vietnam, have expressed their unwillingness to choose between China and the US. How can Southeast Asian countries and China further collaborate to build the ASEAN region into an area for international cooperation and prevent it from becoming a battleground for great power competition? In this regard, why is it particularly important to promote good-neighborly friendship and work together to build a community with a shared future with neighboring countries?

Mahathir: We should discuss our relations every year so that we are always able to solve any problem around the table, not "in war." I think the ASEAN plus China is a very good element that can be used and expanded, so that it can move on to greater heights. We have to work together, then we can establish good relations; when we have peaceful relations, we will both prosper.