As the United States and its allies grapple with complex issues in Asia -- a short list includes North Korea’s quest for nuclear weapons and China’s grab for territory in the South China Sea -- much attention has been given to the uneasy alliances between the United States and other geopolitical heavyweights. News headlines proclaim new leaders of the free world; alleged Russian active measures may have led to four Arab nations, all U.S. allies, severing diplomatic relations with Qatar, which hosts the largest U.S. military base in the Mideast, over suspected support of terrorism. The geopolitical arena is increasingly complex and increasingly unstable. Amid all this complexity, a little-known ally is steadily rising as one of our best options for combatting terrorism abroad and fueling bilateral trade: Malaysia.
Former President Barack Obama visited Malaysia twice during his tenure, a testament to the important role the country plays in our relationship with Southeast Asia. Obama’s meetings with Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak covered a range of bilateral issues, perhaps most pressingly how our two countries can work together to combat the spread of violent extremism. In recent years, Malaysia has been a bulwark against the spread of terrorism in Southeast Asia.
Najib last year announced the formation of a Regional Digital Counter-Messaging Communication Center to combat the propaganda machine of the so-called Islamic State and to provide a more positive alternative to radicalization. The announcement came on the heels of Malaysia’s joining the U.S.-led coalition to defeat ISIS.
In late 2016, Malaysia made waves by becoming the first country in the world to form an integrated security force to respond to local terror threats. The force, made up of officers from the police, army, navy, and coast guard, acts as Malaysia’s quick reaction force, capable of mobilizing security assets on land, air, and sea.
Malaysia’s signature feature is its location at the Strait of Malacca, which connects the Pacific Ocean and the Indian Ocean and is the shortest sea route from China to India. The strait is the world’s busiest shipping lane, hosting more than 80,000 passages in 2016 alone. And the strait isn’t just busy: the daily traffic includes a significant amount of liquefied natural gas and 15 million barrels of oil, a quarter of the world’s seaborne oil, mostly destined for China, Japan, and neighboring Indonesia. Over 40 percent of the world’s seaborne trade traverses the strait each year.
Malaysia has claims in the South China Sea. Specifically, it claims a dozen of the Spratly Islands and reserves of 5 billion barrels of crude oil and 80 trillion cubic feet of natural gas, much within the area also claimed by Malaysia’s largest trading partner, China. The United States should continue naval cooperation and joint exercises with Malaysia both to fend against piracy directed at seaborne trade and as a counterweight to China’s growing blue-water navy.
As President Donald Trump looks to make better trade deals with individual nations after his withdrawal from Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), he will likely find a willing partner in Prime Minister Najib -- the two countries share a long history of bilateral economic relations. Even before Malaysia signed onto TPP, the country played a significant role in U.S. trade in the region. In 2015, for example, nearly $50 billion of goods and services was traded between the two countries. Malaysia has for years been one of our top trading partners among ASEAN members in Southeast Asia, and the United States is Malaysia’s third-largest trading partner.
Further, U.S. exports to Malaysia align directly with a Trump economic agenda that prioritizes American manufacturing. Machinery, aircraft, agricultural products, optic and medical instruments, and iron and steel are among the United States’ top exports to Malaysia. The country has presented -- and will continue to present -- a significant opportunity to support the backbone of the American economy.
Amid shifting global priorities and partnerships, President Trump must realize that his most dedicated and strategic alliances might fall outside of the top countries in the traditional global pecking order. Malaysia, for one, is historically aligned with many of Trump’s key priorities and offers an opportunity for the president to successfully execute his agenda, making America safer and more productive than ever before.
