News In Brief

Malaysian tells Shultz China is key Asian threat

Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad told Secretary of State George Shultz Monday that Malaysia considers China, not the Soviet Union, to be the long-term threat to peace in Southeast Asia.

One Malaysian official said his country's leaders expressed concern that US and other Western aid to China would increase the threat.

Mon Jamaluddin, foreign ministry deputy secretary-general, and a senior US State Department official briefed reporters on the Shultz-Mahathir talks.

Mr. Shultz arrived here from Hong Kong on Monday. He is due to stop in Singapore today and then go to Jakarta tomorrow to join a meeting of foreign ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Later, Shultz will visit Australia and New Zealand.