Acting deputy chief of mission of the US embassy Edgard D Kagan said that such ties would not stop the US from continuing to maintain its support to Malaysia and other countries in the region.

“We are not unhappy with countries that have good relationship with China because we will be happy to see that as well. But at the same time, we do not want these countries to feel bullied, pushing them to do things they do not want to do,” he told the Sarawak-based daily.

Referring to the disputed claims in the South China Sea, Kagan said that Malaysia should also protect its sovereignty in the region without the need for help from the US or any other nation.

“Malaysia should have self confidence in facing any sort of threat.

“No one can defend Malaysia’s interests better than Malaysians. It is inappropriate for another country to say that it is up to us (United States) to defend them,”,” he was quoted as saying.

Kagan, who has been posted to Malaysia since July 2014, added though the US was not a claimant to any dispute in the South China Sea, it only wanted a peaceful resolution

“We don’t take a position on the sovereignty of the South China Sea. It has to be worked out by the claimants themselves but countries should not use force to try and settle these things.”

However, Kagan stressed the importance of protecting the freedom of navigation in the South China Sea, saying the US had an active interest in these waters due to so much world trade passing through it.