马来西亚前总理马哈蒂尔：若中国成为世界第一，我们将有更好的机遇

Core Viewpoint - The rise of China presents significant opportunities for Southeast Asian countries, as emphasized by former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, who advocates for deeper trade relations with China to mitigate the impacts of U.S. tariffs and protectionism [1][3][4]. Group 1: Trade Relations - ASEAN countries are encouraged to enhance trade with China and India to compensate for losses in trade with the U.S. [1][3]. - The trade volume between ASEAN and China exceeded $982.34 billion in 2024, marking a 7.8% increase, with exports growing by 12.0% and imports by 2.0% [3]. - ASEAN's trade with Gulf countries has also strengthened, with the total trade amounting to over $900 billion, nearly double the $453 billion trade with the U.S. [3]. Group 2: Economic Perspectives - Mahathir believes that China's market size surpasses that of the combined U.S. and European markets, indicating continued economic growth potential for China [5]. - He asserts that the U.S. tariffs will harm the American economy more than others, leading to increased living costs in the U.S. [4]. - The historical context of Mahathir's policies, such as the "Look East" policy, reflects a long-term strategy of learning from advanced Asian economies to boost Malaysia's growth [3].