일대일로 거부한 '마하티르' 마음 돌린 시진핑 VIDEO: Malaysia big part of Beijing’s belt and road vision for future, says Xi Jinping
Malaysia big part of Beijing’s belt and road vision for future, says Xi Jinping
Amid doubts over China-backed projects in Southeast Asian nation, Chinese president tells Mahathir Mohamad they need more ‘strategic communication’
PUBLISHED : Monday, 20 August, 2018, 2:14pm
Catherine Wong
China called for more “strategic communication” with Malaysia and more cooperation on infrastructure projects as the leaders of the two countries met on Monday, amid uncertainties in their bilateral ties.
마하티르 모하맛 말레이시아 총리가 20일(현지시간) 중국 베이징 인민대회당에서 리커창 총리와 합동 기자회견 도중 입술을 만지고 있다. [AP=연합뉴스]
일대일로 거부한 '마하티르' 마음 돌린 시진핑 왕이가 영접, 마윈이 동행 지난 5월 집권 이후 처음으로 중국을 방문한 마하티르 모하맛 말레이시아 총리가 20일 리커창 중국 총리와 만난 자리에서 "중국과의 공정·자유 무역을 원한다"고 강조했다고 사우스차이나모닝포스트(SCMP)가 보도했다. 마하티르 총리는 17~21일 닷새간 진행되는 방중 일정에서 리 총리, 시진핑 주석 등과 연달아 회동한다. SCMP에 따르면, 마하티르 총리는 이날 회담에서 "자유 무역은 반드시 지켜야 할 원칙이며, 중국과의 자유무역은 공정한 무역이 돼야 한다"며 "말레이시아와 중국 사이의 문제점을 잘 이해하고 있을 것이라고 생각한다"고 강조했다. 이어 그는 "말레이시아의 높은 부채 문제도 중국 측이 이해하고 있다고 본다"고 덧붙였다. 이는 최근 말레이시아가 중국 ‘일대일로(一帶一路:육상·해상 실크로드)’ 프로젝트와 연관된 220억달러 규모 동부해안철도(ECRL) 사업을 중단해 논란이 일어난 것과 관련, 프로젝트에 과도한 비용이 들어가는 것이 불만이라는 점을 재차 강조한 것으로 보인다. 중국도 말레이시아를 비롯한 동남아시아 곳곳에서 일대일로 프로젝트 비관론이 제기되는 만큼 공사비 단가를 낮추는 등의 조율을 통해 사업을 재개하는 쪽으로 방향을 잡을 가능성이 크다는 관측이 나온다. SCMP는 "양국간 관계회복과 일대일로 사업 관련 재협상이 가장 중요한 안건인 만큼 긴장감을 높일 수 있는 남중국해 이슈 등은 가볍게 다뤄질 것"이라고 진단했다. 마하티르 총리의 이번 중국 방문 초점은 경제다. 그는 방중 일정의 첫 목적지로 항저우를 방문해 알리바바, 지리자동차 등을 방문하고 관련 분야 협력을 촉구했다. 중국 지도자급 인사들을 만나서는 기업 투자 유치를 이끌어내면서도 ‘중국 자금에 대한 의존도’라는 과제를 안고 협상을 벌이고 있다. 앞서 마하티르 총리는 전날 베이징에서 열린 기업인 포럼에서 "중국 기업들이 말레이시아에 더 많이 투자하기를 바라고 있다"며 "말레이시아 정부는 시장에 진입하려는 중국 기업에 각종 절차를 간소화하고 규제를 완화하며 세제혜택 같은 인센티브도 줄 것"이라고 강조한 바 있다. 남민우 기자 조선일보 출처 : http://news.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2018/08/20/2018082002284.html |
edited by kcontents
President Xi Jinping made the remarks during a meeting with Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, whose call for a review of Chinese projects has cast a shadow on relations between Beijing and Kuala Lumpur.
Mahathir, who is on a five-day visit to China, also met Premier Li Keqiang earlier in the day, when he asked for Beijing’s help to tackle the financial problems facing the Southeast Asian nation and warned against “colonialism” over less affluent countries.
Xi and Mahathir both put on a positive front, with Xi saying the relationship between China and Malaysia had potential to grow in a new era.
The Chinese president also said Beijing hoped to strengthen cooperation with Kuala Lumpur, in particular on the “Belt and Road Initiative” – a vast trade and infrastructure strategy spanning Asia, Europe and Africa. He said the two sides should explore cooperation in other countries involved in the initiative, according to state broadcaster CCTV.
Xi said China and Malaysia should increase their “strategic communication” and that Beijing wanted to cooperate more with Kuala Lumpur and other Asean members, and take a strong stance against unilateralism and protectionism.
Earlier, Mahathir and Li oversaw the signing of agreements on currency swaps and plans to increase imports of Malaysian frozen durian and palm oil.
In a joint statement released after the meetings, the two countries pledged to “adopt a strategic and long-term vision” and to “enhance political mutual trust and practical cooperation on the basis of equality, mutual respect and mutual benefit”.
Uncertainty has hung over relations between China and Malaysia since Mahathir came to power in May. He has announced plans to review at least three major Beijing-led projects, including the US$20 billion East Coast Rail Link and two pipeline projects worth a combined US$2 billion.
The new Malaysian prime minister is in China seeking to renegotiate billions of dollars of China-led investment projects in his country, many of which were endorsed by Mahathir’s predecessor, Najib Razak, who is now enveloped in a corruption investigation.
But Beijing has been eager to use Mahathir’s visit to present a united front with Malaysia, China’s biggest trading partner among the members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, amid an escalating trade war with the United States.
South China Morning Post
edited by kcontents
Neither side mentioned the Beijing-led projects in the joint statements, but Mahathir said his country wanted not only free but also fair trade with China.
“I agree with you. Free trade is the way to go. And of course free trade should also be fair trade,” Mahathir said during his meeting with Li. “We do not want a situation where there is a new version of colonialism happening because poor countries are unable to compete with rich countries.”
He said he hoped China could understand the problems facing Malaysia today.
“And I hope that China – and I believe that China – will look sympathetically towards the problems that we have to resolve and perhaps help us in resolving some of our internal fiscal problems,” he said.
A source from the Malaysian delegation said Mahathir’s trip had “already exceeded our expectations”.
“The Chinese have been very generous in their hospitality and have expressed gratitude for Tun [Mahathir’s] honesty and very direct sharing of views. The same extends to this morning’s meeting, those involved on our side were happy with how it went,” the source said.
Oh Ei Sun, a political analyst and former Malaysian official, said “China cannot afford not to be understanding” because the large trading volume between the two sides and Malaysia’s strategic position means the country is “crucial for the viability of the Belt and Road Initiative”.
Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad (left) and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang
on their way to inspect honour guards during a welcome ceremony at the Great Hall
of the People in Beijing. Photo: AFP
“Malaysia is one of the more important open economies in the world. In this increasingly protectionist world, it is important for China to ally itself with more such economies,” he said.
During his meeting with Mahathir, Li said Beijing would not change its “friendly approach” towards Kuala Lumpur despite the change in administration, and stressed that China and Asean shared “a common interest in global free trade”.
“I believe Prime Minister Mahathir wants to express our common position on free trade,” he said. “No matter what changes have happened in our two countries, China-Malaysia ties have been solid, stable and upwards.”
Mahathir also said he would work to improve ties with China despite “ups and downs” and that Malaysia did not “believe in confrontation with any country”.
“Malaysia has a policy of being friendly to every country in the world irrespective of their ideologies,” he said.
The Malaysian leader will wrap up his China trip on Tuesday.
kcontents
