04/02/2026

WEDNESDAY | FEB 4, 2026

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Race to do business with Beijing T HE extraordinary parade of Western leaders visiting China over the past few months has attracted attention and commentaries from many quarters. China’s 80th V-Day anniversary parade). Motives: Pragmatism and investment – Fico, known for his Russia-friendly stance policy – also sought to strengthen EU-China relations with Finland, advocating for free trade, strategic autonomy and playing an active role in resolving trade frictions. H E R

Two grim realities for the West What is apparent is that the goal of “decoupling” has collided with the hard reality of global supply chains. Despite years of rhetoric, Western economies remain deeply integrated with China but have no viable short-term options. For example, China controls 85% to 90% of global rare earth processing, a critical bottleneck for “green transition” (EV, wind turbines) that Western leaders have promised their voters. Just as significant is China’s dominance in solar and wind power technologies that will allow the world to break free from climate changing fossil fuel dependency. The second is the failure of “isolation”. China has effectively countered Western isolation by positioning itself as the stable partner in a chaotic Trump-Maga world. By hosting these leaders, Beijing has successfully projected itself as a responsible global actor committed to “free and open trade”, contrasting itself with US unilateralism. Conclusion The recent parade of visits represents a collapse of the “Cold War 2.0” consensus. Western leaders have realised they cannot isolate China without isolating themselves and punishing their own economies. Thus, we see the move towards a “fragmented integration”, where political rhetoric has become less hostile and the planes of Western leaders to Beijing are full of CEOs and trade ministers. While “decoupling” and “containment” were the dominant themes of the early 2020s, current Western trends indicate a shift towards pragmatic engagement, driven by economic necessity and the concern that their countries not be left behind in the changing global order. Expect to see in the coming future the narrative of decoupling – the total separation of Western and Chinese economies – replaced by the vocabulary of reset and re engagement. LimTeck Ghee’s Another Take is aimed at demystifying social orthodoxy. Comments: letters@thesundaily.com reduce operating costs and improve efficiency but the potential to increase profits by replacing human workers is undeniably a major factor. Such developments must never come at the expense of the average Malaysian’s job security and income. The government must also lower the e hailing commission ceiling from 20% to 10% of the fare so that drivers can earn more. Most e-hailing drivers face low socioeconomic status and financial insecurity. They work long hours and dedicate significant time and energy each day, yet their earnings are insufficient, particularly given the high cost of living. For drivers outside high-demand areas such as Klang Valley and Penang, this situation is even more frustrating and demoralising. To help offset the financial impact of these policy changes on e-hailing companies, the government should work with them to expand and promote their services nationwide, particularly in cities outside Klang Valley and Penang. The government should also increase the number of public buses and extend their routes to more areas while adjusting parking charges accordingly. These measures will encourage more people to use e-hailing services as a primary mode of transport, ultimately boosting the revenues of e-hailing companies. Frustrated E-Hailing Driver Ipoh

and scepticism towards EU-China tariffs, attended the military parade to signal a desire for closer economic ties and infrastructure investment. Diplomatic balancing: He positioned Slovakia as a “bridge” between the East and West, distancing his administration from the more hawkish stance of other EU members. 4. Ireland prime minister Micheál Martin Timing: Jan 4 to 8, 2026. Motives: This marked the first visit to China by an Irish leader in 14 years. Open trade policy: Against a backdrop of EU-China trade friction and US trade tariffs, Martin positioned Ireland as a “staunch advocate” of open, free trade to support Irish businesses. Strategic “EU bridge” role: With Ireland set to assume the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU in the second half of 2026, the visit served to shore up relations and act as a diplomatic bridge between Brussels and Beijing. 5. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney Timing : Jan 14 to17, 2026. Motives: Economic diversification – Carney sought to secure “mutually beneficial” partnerships that would allow Canada to thrive independently of shifting US trade policies. “Open and secure” strategy: He framed the visit as a way to prove Canada could remain principled on security while remaining open to the world’s second-largest economy. 6. Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo Timing: Jan 25 to 28, 2026. Motives: Strengthening economic ties and diplomatic dialogue – the first visit in 17 years, Orpo, accompanied by over 20 business executives signed 11 agreements in sectors like green energy, forestry and technology. The visit – reaffirming Finland’s One China T A K E G H E E

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7. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer Timing: Jan 28 to 31, 2026.

Especially noteworthy in the commentaries and analyses by Western think-tanks and media is not only the shift in the geopolitical lexicon – previously marked by alarmist and confrontational portrayals of China – but also an apparent softening of Western foreign policy towards a country that, until recently, was identified and cast to domestic and international audiences as an existential threat and enemy. Below are the key Western leaders who visited China in 2024, 2025 and early 2026, and their primary motives. 1. France President Emmanuel Macron Timing: Dec 3 to 5, 2025. Motives: Strategic autonomy – Macron sought to reinforce France’s role as an independent power that maintains its own dialogue with Beijing regardless of US pressure. Economic cooperation: He signed over 60 bilateral agreements in sectors like aviation, nuclear energy and agri-food. Global governance: He and President Xi Jinping advocated for a “multipolar world” and discussed cooperation on climate change and artificial intelligence. 2. Then German Chancellor Olaf Scholz Timing: April 2024 (state visit) and February 2025 (strategic dialogue). Motives: Market preservation – as China remains Germany’s largest trading partner, Scholz aimed to protect German investments, particularly in the automotive and green energy sectors. Levelling the playing field, he pushed for better market access for German firms while expressing concerns over Chinese subsidies for electric vehicles (EV). 3. Slovakia Prime Minister Robert Fico Timing: September 2025 (attending A N B Y L I M WHILE the government’s announcement to introduce more flexible road tax renewal periods for e-hailing vehicles is welcome, several serious issues remain unaddressed. As a full-time e-hailing driver who feels underappreciated, I find recent developments concerning autonomous vehicles extremely worrying. Autonomous or driverless vehicles are defined as those capable of sensing their environment and operating without human involvement. Recently, Pos Malaysia Bhd launched the country’s first smart logistics autonomous vehicle as part of its digital innovation and automation journey. In addition, e-hailing platform Grab announced definitive agreements to invest in remote driving technology, with its CEO stating: “We believe the future of mobility in Southeast Asia will be a hybrid model that relies on the expertise of our driver-partners alongside autonomous vehicles and remote driving services.” Remote driving involves a driver remotely operating a vehicle using real-time video feeds, sensors and augmented reality overlays. In relation to these developments, I strongly urge the government to impose strict regulations to ensure that e-hailing platforms and other transport services prioritise hiring LETTERS letters@thesundaily.com

Motives: Marking the first visit by a UK leader in eight years, Starmer stated that the primary motives were to “reset” strained bilateral relations and stimulate British economic growth through a “pragmatic” and “consistent” partnership. “Sophisticated relationship”: Starmer framed the visit as one that balances commercial opportunities with “clear-eyed security guardrails” on contentious issues. For now, two more Western leaders will be visiting Beijing in 2026. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is leading a large economic delegation from Feb 24 to 27 and US President Donald Trump is planning to visit Beijing in April. Trump push factor The “Trump factor”: With Trump’s return to the US presidency, his administration’s aggressive tariff policies have unsettled traditional US allies. Countries like France, Canada and the UK are increasingly looking to China as a “stabilising force” to hedge against US protectionism. Economic interdependence: Western leaders are finding that “decoupling” – a word widely used in official and unofficial American and European economic strategy reports on China since 2017 – is practically impossible without severe domestic inflation and supply chain collapse of national and regional economies. Thus, German and Finnish visits have been heavily focused on securing access to green tech minerals and maintaining manufacturing ties. Strategic autonomy: European and Middle-Power leaders, like Carney, are framing their visits as a way to ensure they are not merely “junior partners” in a US-led containment strategy, opting instead for a “China-plus-one” model that maintains trade with both giants.

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E-hailing drivers deserve better financial security

E-hailing services are a significant source of employment and income for many Malaysians. – AMIRUL SYAFIQ/THESUN

In addition, Malaysia E-Hailing and Delivery Organisation chairman Masrizal Mahidin stated that drivers’ feedback shows e-hailing work is now commonly used to supplement income from primary employment, as their main earnings are no longer sufficient. Companies pursuing autonomous vehicles may argue that the technology is necessary to

human drivers for the sake of their job security. E-hailing services are a significant source of employment and income for many Malaysians. A survey by another e-hailing platform Bolt Malaysia found that 70.9% of drivers depend on e-hailing as their primary source of income, with most using their earnings to support their families (58%).