Embracing the Dragon's Sphere? Malaysia's Diplomatic Identity and Engagement with China in the U.S.-China Rivalry

Cheong, Reagan

4. semester

International Relations, MSc.

2025

2025-05-27

67 pages

This thesis examines how Malaysia’s foreign policy identity shapes its diplomatic engagement with China amidst the intensifying U.S.–China rivalry. It applies Constructivism and International Cooperation Theory (ICT) from a constructivist lens to understand Malaysia’s identity-driven diplomacy and the cooperative mechanisms that maintain Malaysia–China relations. Utilizing Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA), the study analyzes political speeches, interviews, and official statements from Malaysia, China, and the United States between 2023 and 2025. The findings demonstrate that Malaysia’s diplomatic behavior is not solely motivated by material interests or strategic hedging but is shaped by a constructed identity grounded in principles and values of Global South solidarity, non-alignment, and ASEAN norms. Furthermore, Malaysia’s participation in initiatives like the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and BRICS reflects cooperation mechanisms based on reciprocity, iteration, international regimes, and asymmetrical engagement. The thesis also explores how Malaysia’s diplomatic identity and positioning is perceived externally, revealing that China views Malaysia as a reliable partner while U.S. perspectives remain more cautious and strategic. These findings contribute a deeper understanding of small non-Western state diplomacy, identity construction, and alternative cooperation pathways beyond binary alignment in global rivalries.

Malaysia foreign policy ; U.S.–China rivalry ; Constructivism ; International Cooperation Theory ; Critical Discourse Analysis ; Global South ; ASEAN diplomacy ; Belt and Road Initiative ; BRICS

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