MANILA, March 6 (Xinhua) -- ASEAN leaders, senior officials, and experts have voiced their opposition to being compelled to pick sides in the rivalry among major powers.

During the 2024 ASEAN-Australia Special Summit held in Melbourne, Australia, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said that the United States and some of its allies should not preclude Malaysia from being friendly to China.

"We do not have a problem with China," Anwar told a joint press conference where Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was also present.

In a recent interview with the Financial Times, Anwar denounced what he deemed rising "China-phobia" among the United States and some of its allies, questioning why Malaysia would "pick a quarrel" with its largest trading partner, in response to U.S. criticisms of Kuala Lumpur's ties with Beijing.

"My reference to China-phobia is because (of) the criticism levied against us for giving additional focus to China," Anwar repeated in Melbourne's presser.

The Malaysian leader stressed his country is "fiercely independent" and does not want to "be dictated by any force."

"So, once we remain to be an important friend to the United States or Europe and here in Australia, they should not preclude us from being friendly to one of our important neighbors, precisely China," Anwar said.

Meanwhile, ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn also told Australian media that the regional bloc will never pick a side in a competition between major countries.

"Whether you call it strategic dynamics, strategic competition or strategic rivalry, all of us would like to see the U.S. and China improve their relations," Kao was quoted by The Australian Financial Review as saying.

"There's always competition there but how we manage the relationship strategically is very important," he said on the sidelines of the summit, stressing that ASEAN could not take peace and prosperity for granted.

Mussolini Lidasan, director of the Al Qalam Institute at Ateneo de Davao University in the Philippines, expressed a similar sentiment.

In an interview with Xinhua, Lidasan said ASEAN states should not be forced to take sides with any major power.

"ASEAN nations have traditionally followed a policy of neutrality and non-alignment in major power competition. This approach has allowed them to maintain good relations with various countries and avoid being directly drawn into conflicts," the political analyst said.

Instead of forcing ASEAN countries to take sides, it would "be more beneficial" to advocate for diplomatic efforts, multilateral cooperation, and adherence to international law to address disputes, Lidasan said.

"This approach can help safeguard the interests of all parties involved and contribute to a peaceful and sustainable resolution of disputes in the region," he said. Enditem

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