ExclusiveWhat anti-China sentiment? Beijing’s man in Malaysia Bai Tian heartened by Mahathir’s overtures

Preparatory works underway for the 92-year-old prime minister of Malaysia to visit Beijing in ‘near future’, says envoy

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China’s ambassador to Malaysia Bai Tian, pictured with Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad: “Today’s China is even more important than the China during Mahathir’s first term in office.” Photo: Twitter

Published: 11:02am, 20 Jun 2018Updated: 4:43pm, 20 Jun 2018

“Where’s the anti-China sentiment? I don’t see it.” China’s ambassador to Malaysia Bai Tian gave this assessment when asked whether China’s rapid economic rise and growing regional influence was spooking citizens in his host country.

Speaking to the South China Morning Post, Bai Tian said he was heartened by overtures to China by Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, contrary to speculation the leader would take a hawkish stance towards Beijing in keeping with his election campaign stance.

The ambassador said preparatory works were already underway for 92-year-old Mahathir to visit Beijing, even though Chinese officials do not expect the leader to make the trip in his first 100 days as Malaysia’s seventh prime minister.

Nothing to fear from China, says Malaysia’s Mahathir Mohamad

Mahathir, premier from 1981 to 2003, returned to the apex of power after defeating his one-time protégé Najib Razak in the May 9 general election.

“Today’s China is even more important than the China during Mahathir’s first term in office. I do believe Mahathir will visit China in the near future,” the envoy said on the sidelines of the opening ceremony for Alibaba Group’s Malaysia office on Monday.

Alibaba owns the South China Morning Post.

Bai Tian, China's ambassador to Malaysia, with Jack Ma, the founder of Chinese e-commerce company Alibaba, Malaysian Finance Minister, Lim Guan Eng, and Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Minister, Gobind Deo, at the opening of Alibaba’s office in Kuala Lumpur on Monday. Photo: EPA

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Preparatory works underway for the 92-year-old prime minister of Malaysia to visit Beijing in ‘near future’, says envoy

Nothing to fear from China, says Malaysia’s Mahathir Mohamad

Preparatory works underway for the 92-year-old prime minister of Malaysia to visit Beijing in ‘near future’, says envoy