KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has come in for praise over remarks he made in Australia about China's rise as a superpower.
"The clarity with which the Prime Minister espouses Malaysia's position on the emergence of China as a superpower is refreshing and sound," said former law minister Datuk Zaid Ibrahim in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.
He was commenting on Anwar's speech at the Australian National University in Canberra, in which he warned against actions to impede China's rise as a superpower.
Anwar had said obstacles placed against China's economic and technological advancements will only heighten tensions in the region.
In recent years, the United States' attempts to curb China's growing influence have led to tensions in Southeast Asia and the Pacific.
In his speech, Anwar also said globalisation had not worked in US' favour and that long wars in Afghanistan and Iraq have taken their toll on Americans.
"The upshot is a preference for leaders who are more transactional with the rest of the world – those who profess to put America first," he was quoted as saying.
Zaid said Anwar's frank views on the United States' policies in dealing with other countries were accurate.
"To say that on the face of an American global partner, Australia is unprecedented but well done."
Anwar led a Malaysian delegation for a three-day official visit to Australia earlier this week.
