Beyond Western Paradigms: Malaysia-China Relations and the Practice of Humanistic Diplomacy

Abstract

Western-centric models have dominated the study and practice of international relations. The conduct of diplomacy between nations have been operated based on two paradigms – realism or liberalism. Often, both paradigms frame global politics as a zero-sum game of survival or a contest for ideological dominance. Such framing eventually generated conflict, inequality, and mistrust. The fact that the world is shifting toward a more flattened, multipolar reality has also been ignored. Thus, an approach grounded in a more humanistic worldview that view the relations between nations as a subject and not as an object should be rediscovered. Nations can play active role in building relations through prioritizing mutual respect, civilizational dialogue, and shared human progress over military and economic coercion. To demonstrate how this works in practice, the article examines the evolution of Malaysia-China relations. The relations, as this paper would like to put it is not managing international relations as a transaction that is driven by fear and utilitarian mindset. To do so, this paper traces the Malaysia-China relations through four distinct historical stages. It highlights how both nations have actively chosen cooperation over conflict including complex issues such as the territorial disputes. As a result, both nations enjoy great progress in their relations and is not reaping the benefits and is a living example of how humanistic diplomacy is not an altruistic fantasy. It is the most practical, realistic path forward for maintaining a just, progressive, and peaceful global order in the 21st century.