LAI Yew Meng <br/><br/>
Structural sources of Malaysia's South China Sea policy: power uncertainties and small-state hedging/ 
Yew Meng Lai 
 -  2021 
<br/><br/> It argues that Malaysia's 'light-hedging' approach is primarily a smaller-state's response to growing systemic pressure arising from power asymmetry, rivalry, and uncertainties.  Focusing on Malaysia's South China Sea (SCS) policy, the essay analyzes how the growing US-China animosity has led the small state to view the SCS imbroglio not just a territorial issue but more a matter of big-power rivalry with geopolitical roots. Like other smaller states in the Indo-Pacific region, Malaysia has long considered power asymmetry and power rivalry as structural conditions over which it has little control. 
<br/><br/><label>Subjects--Topical Terms: </label><br/>MALAYSIA -- DEFENCE WHITE PAPER<br/>SOUTHEAST ASIA -- RELATIONS<br/>SOUTH CHINA SEA -- POLICY<br/>SMALL STATE -- HEDGING