Malaysia warns new Indo-Pacific pact may trigger nuclear arms race

[oovvuu-embed id=”e2e11d6f-5665-423d-a455-72cd4a9bff72″ frameUrl=”https://playback.oovvuu.media/frame/e2e11d6f-5665-423d-a455-72cd4a9bff72″ playerScriptUrl=”https://playback.oovvuu.media/player/v1.js”%5D

“It will provoke other powers to also act more aggressively in the region, especially in the South China Sea,” Malaysia’s Prime Minister Office said in a statement.

The statement did not mention China, but Beijing’s foreign policy in the region has been increasingly assertive, particularly its maritime claims in the resource-rich South China Sea, some of which conflict with Malaysia’s own claims.

“As a country within ASEAN, Malaysia holds the principle of maintaining ASEAN as a Zone of Peace, Freedom and Neutrality (ZOFPAN),” the statement said.

Malaysia urged all parties to avoid any provocation and arms competition in the region.