China's Belt and Road Initiative: The Malaysian Dilemma

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Abstract/Contents

Abstract: The Malaysian Dilemma presents the case of a small, middle-income country’s engagement with China through the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). While the BRI’s global reach and ambitions have drawn attention to the potential risks and benefits of Chinese investment, this thesis aims to study one partner country’s perspective through an analysis of the political economic logic and decision-making calculus of its top leaders. Malaysia provides an instructive case, with the leadership transition between Prime Ministers from Najib Razak to Mahathir Mohamad that catalyzed the evolution of the BRI locally. This opportunity for the Malaysian government to reshape its BRI involvement is evaluated through three in depth case studies: the high-profile East Coast Rail Link (ECRL), and the Melaka and Kuantan ports. The Malaysian government’s subsequent renegotiations and cancellations of BRI projects reflect the balancing of complex interests and opportunities for small states to advance their agenda through political maneuvering. Based on the analysis of Malaysian political economic logic surrounding these cases, further avenues for research and policy recommendations are proposed to address key BRI challenges surrounding good governance, transparency and sustainable development.

Type of resource	text
Date created	August 2019

Author	Teo, Zhi Ping
Degree granting institution	Stanford University, Stanford Global Studies, Center for East Asian Studies
Primary advisor	Oi, Jean

Location	https://purl.stanford.edu/rm934mm3115

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License: This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial 3.0 Unported license (CC BY-NC).

Preferred Citation: Teo, Zhi Ping. (2019). China's Belt and Road Initiative: The Malaysian Dilemma. Stanford Digital Repository. Available at: https://purl.stanford.edu/rm934mm3115

Stanford Center for East Asian Studies Thesis Collection

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