Malaysia now faces the pressure of the US because of Iran oil export.
Malaysia actually is the core node of China-Iran oil trade, and Iran's crude oil is often processed and refined in Malaysia before being sold to China. That's why we can't find Iran on the list of China's oil importing countries, but Malaysia was in top 4. I discussed this topic on X months ago but quickly deleted it.
China, Iran, and Malaysia have benefited a lot from this oil trade, and Malaysia's rejection of US demands is clearly in its own interest.
China needs to firmly support Malaysia and help it resist potential pressure from the United States, both economically and militarily. ASEAN is China's most important economical ally, and there is no room for China to compromise here.
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