Malaysia denounced the growing “China-phobia” in the West, emphasising the need for his country to maintain a balance between the US and China. Speaking to the Financial Times (FT), Malaysian PM Anwar Ibrahim questioned the wisdom of antagonising China, Malaysia’s top trading partner. Ibrahim questioned why Malaysia would “pick a quarrel” with China in response to US criticisms of his country’s ties with Beijing. “Why must I be tied to one interest? I don’t buy into this strong prejudice against China, this China-phobia,” the Malaysian PM told the FT. Malaysia, which is officially neutral, seeks to maintain “good stable relations with the US [while] looking at China as an important ally,” said Anwar. Malaysia has embraced opportunities in the semiconductor industry, capitalising on the “China plus one” strategy to mitigate geopolitical risks. Watch this video to know more.