Analysts say the US is guaranteeing Malaysia's security in the South China Sea.

According to the Jeffrey Cheah Institute on Southeast Asia, U.S. President Barack Obama's visit to Malaysia this weekend will reassure Kuala Lumpur on national security issues related to territorial disputes in the South China Sea.

Speaking to reporters after a talk on "The US Pivot to Asia and its Impact on the Region" at the Jeffrey Cheah Institute on April 24, Professor Woo Wing Thye stated that the visit would provide assurances to Malaysia regarding the nine-dash line in the South China Sea. Malaysia would not be dominated by its larger neighbors on this issue.

Malaysian Navy ships are patrolling and searching for the missing aircraft at sea. (Source: AFP-VNA)

Professor Woo said that during the visit, Obama would also continue negotiations on the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement, which are heating up here.

However, concluding the TPP negotiations during this visit is highly unlikely because the US Congress has not granted President Obama fast-track authority.

Meanwhile, Dr. Tang Siew Mun, Director of Foreign Policy and Security Studies at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, believes the visit will provide a good opportunity for President Obama to gain a better understanding of Malaysia.

According to Dr. Tang, the goal of President Obama's stops in Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, and the Philippines was to demonstrate the benefits of a deeper economic relationship between the United States and this rapidly developing region.

President Obama is expected to arrive in Malaysia for a three-day official visit, beginning on April 26th.

According to VNA