on the South China Sea. Malaysia says it can’t stand alone against China’s aggressions,

so how powerful IS Malaysia?

With China's moves in the South China Sea, Malaysia has called on its neighbors for support.

But just how powerful is Malaysia on its own?

[Squarespace]

Well, in terms of its size, Malaysia is somewhat average. At nearly 130 thousand square miles,

or about the size of the US state of New Mexico, Malaysia is the 67th largest country in the

world. Malaysia’s population of nearly 30 million ranks higher than most countries,

but pales in comparison to neighboring Indonesia and the Philippines, which together account

for more people than that of the United States.

But Malaysia’s population is growing, and the country has considerable economic potential.

With a GDP of just under 340 billion dollars, Malaysia joins the ranks of South Africa and

Colombia as a middle-income country. Malaysia’s Prime Minister, Najib Razak (NAH-jihb RAH-zahk),

hopes to bolster the country to high-income status by 2020, in-part by reducing its dependence

on exports, which account for more than 80 percent of their GDP. Historically, Malaysia

relied solely on resource-based exports, like palm oil and gas. However today, the country

boosts a wide range of exports, many of which are non-resourced based, like electronics

and cars. Malaysia is also part of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, and the Trans

Pacific Partnership, both of which promise greater economic cooperation between member

states. But Malaysia’s government is plagued with corruption scandals. Prime Minister Najib

himself has been accused of pocketing more than one billion dollars of state funds.

Militarily, Malaysia is also somewhat unimpressive. Stacked against the world’s defense, the

country comes in 34th, just below Myanmar. This is, in part, because Malaysia only allots

about one-and-a-half percent of its GDP towards its armed forces, well below the US’s nearly

four percent and NATO’s recommended two percent. In the case of an invasion, Malaysia’s

army of just over 400,000 troops would likely be outnumbered, as most of their neighbors

have significantly stronger militaries. Indonesia’s army boasts more than twice as many troops

as Malaysia, and China has roughly ten times as many. But this actually works to Malaysia’s

advantage, as the country has military partnerships with most of its powerful neighbors.

Surely this is why Malaysia is seeking help from its Southeast Asian allies in its battle

over the South China Sea. Malaysia has historically taken a back seat in the dispute. But after

China encroached on the country’s territorial waters in 2015, Malaysia has taken a harder

line toward China. In the scope of this conflict and on the world stage, Malaysia is effectively

powerless on its own. Until the country makes significant strides toward its promising economic

future, it will surely remain subordinate to its powerful neighbors.

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Going up against China is a challenge not just for Malaysia but for almost any nation.

So is China the world’s biggest superpower? Find out by watching our video here. Thanks

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