VLADIVOSTOK: Malaysia will not stop its exploration of potential oil and gas areas in the South China Sea, despite protests from China that the country has purportedly crossed the permitted borders.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim stressed that the operation was carried out inside Malaysia, and there was no reason to commit provocative actions against China.
"Regarding the area objected to by China, this is our area but we are open to discussions. But this oil exploration is in our waters. We may respond to China, explain our position, but we are not committing provocative actions.
"We need to continue exploration in our waters and secure our advantages, including exploration operations in our own areas.
"Beijing sends a protest note because it thinks it's its area. But we have to continue this operation because this is related to the survival of our economy," he said.
Anwar was speaking at a press conference with the Malaysian media in conjunction with his two-day working visit here for the 9th Eastern Economic Forum (EEF 2024).
Earlier, the media reported the leak of a diplomatic note sent by Beijing to Malaysia, voicing objections to Petronas' operations in the area.
The note, published by Philippine media, showed Beijing's claim that Malaysia's oil and gas exploration in the South China Sea had entered China's territorial boundaries.
A statement by Wisma Putra on Wednesday stressed that the information leak would be investigated closely as it contained information on the confidentiality and sovereignty of countries.
International media previously reported that China had insisted on almost the entire South China Sea, including the 200-nautical-mile Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) shared by Malaysia, the Philippines, Brunei, Taiwan and Vietnam, as under its sovereignty.
Under international law, EEZs do not signify the sovereignty of a country, but give the country in question the right to extract produce within the zone.
Meanwhile, Anwar said Malaysia has strict policies and principles not to encroach on other countries' territory.
"They (China) know our position. They claim that we have trespassed into their area. We say no, that's our area. But if they continue to be dissatisfied, then okay, we will listen, and they also need to be willing to listen," he added.