Malaysian leader Anwar says China a ‘true friend’ and not to be feared as Premier Li ends visit

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim rejects the notion that China’s dominance is to be feared. He called China a “true friend” as Premier Li Qiang ended his visit Thursday to mark 50 years of diplomatic ties between their countries. While the leaders raised some contentious bilateral issues, Anwar said they discussed them as “equal partners, as trusted friends.” He didn’t give details but likely referred to the prickly issue of overlapping territorial claims in the South China Sea. Li, who made earlier stops on a regional tour in New Zealand and Australia, was the first Chinese premier to visit Malaysia since 2015. He was given a red carpet send-off as he flew home.