Following two days in Tianjin for a regional bloc summit and another day of meetings with top Chinese leaders, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim stood on the rostrum at Beijing’s Tiananmen Square to witness a spectacular military parade.
His appearance underscored Malaysia’s alignment with China’s push for a multipolar global order.
For Beijing, hosting these two major events back to back was a calculated demonstration of scale, diversity and visibility that could amplify its message that China is able to bridge divides and unify the Global South amid a turbulent international landscape.
Malaysia, which also faces US tariff threats, has taken this chance to show its solidarity with the Global South in the face of Washington’s unilateralism.
On Monday, Anwar expressed support for the Global Governance Initiative – a model for global governance introduced by Chinese President Xi Jinping at the SCO summit that highlights sovereign equality, adherence to the international rule of law and multilateralism.