Malaysia investigating the leak of a classified Chinese diplomatic note regarding the South China Sea
Following the publication of a leaked document by a Philippine media outlet warning Malaysia against oil drilling, Malaysia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has launched an investigation.
The ministry announced that it is probing the leak of a classified diplomatic note sent by China to its embassy in Beijing in February, following the article's release last month. According to the statement issued late Wednesday, police would be notified, and an internal inquiry is underway. The ministry did not identify the media outlet or verify the authenticity of the document, but addressed Malaysia’s claims in the disputed South China Sea.
The Philippine Daily Inquirer reported on August 29 that China had sent a diplomatic note to the Malaysian embassy, urging the country to halt oil exploration and drilling at Luconia Shoals, about 100 kilometers from the Malaysian state of Sarawak. The paper quoted China as asserting that Malaysia’s activities "infringed" on its sovereignty. The shoals are located approximately 1,300 kilometers from Hainan Island, China’s nearest major landmass.
"The ministry views the leak of this document, which represents an official communication between the two nations, with serious concern," the statement read.
China claims almost the entire South China Sea under its nine-dash line, a claim rejected by an international court in 2016. Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam, and Taiwan also have competing claims in the region. Tensions have risen recently, with multiple encounters between Chinese and Philippine coastguard ships at Second Thomas Shoal and other contested areas.
Malaysia’s Foreign Ministry emphasized that both Beijing and Kuala Lumpur are committed to resolving the South China Sea disputes through peaceful means. "Malaysia’s position on the South China Sea remains firm," the statement said. "We will continue to defend our sovereignty, rights, and interests in our maritime zones... This is consistent with universally accepted principles of international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea [UNCLOS]."
China's embassy in Kuala Lumpur did not respond to requests for comment.
