Malaysia summons Chinese envoy for second time since June, over vessels in South China Sea

Ministry of Foreign Affairs says ambassador Ouyang Yujing was summoned on Monday to ‘protest’ presence of Chinese ships in Malaysia’s exclusive economic zone

Kuala Lumpur has long sought to keep ties with its biggest trading partner on an even keel, despite tense episodes in the waters off Sabah and Sarawak

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A Chinese coastguard ship sails along Whitsun Reef in the Spratly Islands in April. Malaysian officials have also complained about Chinese coastguard vessels loitering around the South Luconia Shoals off Sarawak. Photo: Philippine Coast Guard via EPA-EFE

Published: 1:05am, 5 Oct 2021Updated: 9:09pm, 5 Oct 2021

For the second time this year, Malaysia has summoned the Chinese envoy in the country to protest Beijing’s activities in the disputed South China Sea, where the Southeast Asian nation has considerable oil and gas fields.

In a four-paragraph statement released late on Monday, the Malaysian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that Chinese ambassador Ouyang Yujing was summoned “to convey Malaysia’s position and protest against the presence and activities of Chinese vessels, including a survey vessel, in Malaysia’s exclusive economic zone off the coasts of Sabah and Sarawak”.

“The presence and activities of these vessels are inconsistent with Malaysia’s Exclusive Economic Zone Act 1984, as well as the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos),” the statement said.

It added: “Malaysia’s consistent position and actions are based on international law, in defence of our sovereignty and sovereign rights in our waters. Malaysia had also protested against the previous encroachments by other foreign vessels into our waters.”

Malaysian Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah (left) and Chinese Ambassador to Malaysia Ouyang Yujing attend an event hosted by the Chinese embassy in Kuala Lumpur in September. Photo: Xinhua

The protest came a day after Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob – who took office in August – said in an interview the government would not “compromise on sovereignty” relating to the sea dispute.