By Prof Dr Phar Kim Beng
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 20 (Bernama) — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s remarks on Taiwan were controversial because he noted China’s position on the use of force should peaceful reunification fail.
However, this is not an endorsement of war. His argument centres on sovereignty, territorial integrity, and deterrence.
He used Malaysia as an analogy. No government, he suggested, would accept the breakup of its federation without resistance.
A state must retain the capacity to defend its territorial integrity, even if it prefers peaceful solutions.
This does not mean force is the first option. Negotiation, law, and political settlement always come first.
But renouncing force entirely can weaken deterrence, as it may encourage challenges to the status quo.
Deterrence depends on the credible possibility of action, even if it is never used.
The key point is that reserving the right to use force is not the same as wanting to use it.
This logic fits Malaysia’s One China policy. How? After all, Malaysia recognises the People’s Republic of China and does not treat Taiwan as a separate sovereign state diplomatically, while maintaining economic and people-to-people ties.
Within this framework, Anwar’s point is that if Malaysia accepts One China, it cannot dismiss Beijing’s concern over territorial integrity as illegitimate.
Hence the analogy: Malaysia would resist disintegration, and China views Taiwan as a national reunification issue.
Taipei rejects this entirely, seeing Taiwan as a sovereign democracy. From that perspective, any reference to force risks legitimising coercion.
But Anwar’s argument is about deterrence, not advocacy of conflict.
China’s position is that uncertainty over consequences deters separatism.
Whether one agrees or not, this reflects a classic deterrence logic: the option of force exists so it does not need to be used.
Malaysia, however, must remain careful. A Taiwan Strait conflict would be catastrophic for regional trade, supply chains, and ASEAN stability.
Malaysia should continue to support restraint, dialogue, and peaceful resolution. Not merely with China and Taiwan but the world writ large.
At the same time, Anwar’s remarks should not be misread as endorsing war at all.
They reflect a realist view that states do not pre-commit to accepting territorial breakup.
Malaysia’s position is therefore balanced: uphold One China, avoid supporting coercion, and continue promoting peaceful dispute settlement.
The core idea is simple. States maintain the capacity for force not to use it, but to ensure they do not have to face dismemberment or coercion unprepared.
— BERNAMA
Prof Dr Phar Kim Beng is Professor of ASEAN Studies at the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) and Director of Institute of International and ASEAN Studies (IINTAS). The views expressed in this article are those of the author.