KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia has only gained by choosing to work with both China and the United States instead of taking sides between the two superpowers, says Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.
“For a country like Malaysia, our practical position is we do not need to choose sides," the Home Minister said during a panel session at the 2025 Fortune Asean-GCC Economic Forum here on Wednesday (May 28).
"We have chosen to work with both.
“It has only brought us benefits,” he added.
He said both of these countries are ahead in terms of artificial intelligence (AI) research and investment.
By working with both, Saifuddin said Malaysia will be able to bring the most effective and affordable AI tools into Malaysia.
"We choose what is best for Malaysia based on our needs.
"This balanced approach gives us more room to negotiate, innovate and protect our national interests.
"At the same time it also builds more trust with partners across Asean, the Gulf and the world,” he added.
He said this also meant that Malaysia’s young talent can train in both the United States' Silicon Valley and Shenzhen in China.
“Our companies can learn from both countries' AI ecosystems. Those are the clear benefits of taking this position. We enjoy the best of both worlds," he said.
Malaysia has used AI in border control and also to filter inappropriate content in films, he added.
Economist and author of The New China Playbook: Beyond Socialism and Capitalism, Dr Keyu Jin, said while the United States and China had reduced direct links following their trade disputes, they still have indirect links through other countries.
“If we look at the data, the competing blocs... have reduced their direct linkages but arguably, their indirect linkages are still very much (there). Trade and investments with non-aligned countries have shot up," she said.
She added that the world cannot be cast in “black or white”, whereby countries could be aligned with or against other nations.
She said some countries may have economic ties with China, some may rely on the United States for security reasons, and some may be cooperating with other countries in the energy space. On top of that, there are also regional blocs like Asean and GCC.
XPeng Motors vice chairman and president Brian Gu, who also spoke at the panel session, said technology can coexist without being differentiated as "Chinese technology" or "US technology".
