Chinese ships in Malaysian waters under control: Defence chief

The presence of foreign ships, especially Chinese vessels, in Malaysia's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) is under control and the matter is being handled smoothly through diplomatic and defence channels, said Malaysian Armed Forces Chief General Tan Sri Mohamad Ab Rahman.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the 19th ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting (ADMM) in Kuala Lumpur on Friday, General Mohamad said foreign ships are regularly seen in Malaysian waters, but the situation is completely under control.

"We have ships regularly in our EEZ. We deal with the issue through diplomatic notes, sometimes through our own mechanisms. So far, everything is under control, so there is no need to worry too much," he said.

When asked about Malaysia's reaction to China's diplomatic note, General Mohamad said, "That falls under the jurisdiction of the Foreign Ministry." "We need to talk to Wisma Putra (Foreign Ministry) to find out. But so far, our discussions have been in an open and friendly atmosphere. They understand the issues."

He added that these incidents have not had any negative impact on the military relations between Malaysia and China. Rather, the relations between the two countries are at a friendly and constructive level.

"We are friendly nations. Our cooperation in the economic field is gradually increasing. In the military field as well, we are working on several agreements on bilateral training and equipment procurement," he added.

General Mohamed said that Malaysia and China have already completed a joint military exercise and that the defense cooperation between the two countries is progressing at the right pace.

He also noted that China's Global Security Initiative reflects Beijing's broader vision of maintaining regional stability, which could affect the security architecture of the region in the future.