Malaysia rebuttal reflects mistrust of China's 'Belt and Road' plan
Is Malaysia’s repudiation of China’s “unequal treaties” a sign of things to come?
Malaysia's abrupt cancellation of $3bn worth of China-backed pipeline projects represents probably the biggest knockback so far for President Xi Jinping's Belt and Road initiative. This initiative has been bankrolling large-scale energy projects right across the region. Work on the pipelines was suspended in July, but the cancellations were announced in early September. They involve two oil and gas pipelines in mainland Malaysia and Borneo, and another linking the state of Malacca to a Petronas facility in Johor. The contracts had been signed under former prime minister Najib Razak, who is facing trial next year over corruption allegations. The new Malaysian government's show of independence
Also in this section
11 February 2026
Panellists from three LNG buyers at LNG2026 in Doha outlined their evolving procurement strategies as they navigate heightened market volatility
11 February 2026
North African producer plans to boost output by early 2030, with Europe its number one priority as export destination
11 February 2026
Maritime leaders at LNG2026 warned of the dangers of over-regulation on competitiveness, sustainability and innovation
10 February 2026
The country has opened bidding on 50 blocks in a new licensing round but will face competition for attention and will need to address concerns about security and legislation
