May 8, 2023

As China-US tensions have boiled over the island of Taiwan and the Ukraine crisis, Southeast Asia has kept proactive diplomacy. Global Times (GT) reporters Wang Wenwen and Bai Yunyi talked to Mahathir bin Mohamad (Mahathir), former prime minister of Malaysia, about his views on China-US relations and the global impact of the Ukraine crisis. Mahathir, who is vocal against the West, has kept a very particular place in Malaysia's history and been an influential senior statesman in Southeast Asia. He has constantly spoken up about China-US relations.

GT: What's your perspective of China-US relations in the next 10 years? Will there be a conflict between the two countries, especially over the Taiwan question?

Mahathir: I find that the US likes to provoke. For example, that visit by the house speaker to Taiwan is a provocation. Before that, the relationship between the Chinese mainland and Taiwan was quite calm. You had relations, but there was no confrontation. But when the US speaker visited Taiwan, the Chinese mainland responded by showing that it is against the visit, and insisted that Taiwan is a part of China.

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https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202305/1290284.shtml