Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad has warned against “a new version of colonialism”, in a pointed expression of Asian unease about China’s increasing economic and political influence in the region.
On a four-day state visit to China, Mr Mahathir embarked on the delicate task of renegotiating $23bn in rail and pipeline deals agreed by his predecessor Najib Razak, while trying to secure new trade and investment flows to present to voters back home.
The Malaysian leader has sharply criticised the deals as fronts for money transfers to help bail out Mr Najib’s corruption-ridden 1Malaysia Development Berhad fund, and has vowed to renegotiate any “unequal treaties”.