Indonesia ’ s Response to the Rise of China : Growing Comfort amid Uncertainties CHAPTER 5 (original) (raw)
Related papers
2019
Indonesia's foreign policy stance toward China is a significant issue as it is a major player and a core member of ASEAN. Southeast Asia is increasingly a competitive and important region of the world where China is asserting its great power status. Since 2009, China-related South China Sea controversies have intensified. After submitting its South China Sea claim to the United Nations in opposition to Malaysia and Vietnam's claim in 2009, China has increasingly defended its claim through increasing exercises and other forms of power assertion. The main purpose of this thesis is to show how and why Indonesia's China policy shifted after 2009 in reaction to China's action. The thesis explains each presidential administration's China policy between 1999 and 2019 by using Kuik's framework to identify the presence of two counteracting policies: risk-contingency and returns-maximizing options. Both of these policy options were executed by each Indonesian presidential administration toward China. After 2009, Indonesia's degree of power rejection toward China increased in comparison to power acceptance. It showed a growing tendency to balance against China by intensifying its risk-contingency policy. Thus, Indonesia's China policy shifted in the direction of balancing post-2009.
Indonesia's Vision of Regional Order in East Asia amid U.S.-China Rivalry: Continuity and Change
Asia Policy, 2018
I ndonesia’s vision of the desirable order in Southeast Asia and the wider region has evolved over time, influenced by changes in both domestic politics and the external environment. Perceptions of external threats, national priorities, and the best means of promoting national interests have not remained constant. Nevertheless, Indonesia’s “free and active” (bebas aktif) foreign policy that stresses nonalignment and strategic outlook that emphasizes the importance of national and regional resilience have provided important principles of continuity. First and foremost, Indonesia desires strategic autonomy for itself and the immediate environment in Southeast Asia, whereby regional states are masters of their own destinies rather than simply succumbing to the dictate of one or more external powers. This essay will examine Indonesia’s vision of an East Asian regional order in the context of the current rivalry between the United States as the resident power and China as the ascendant power. This rivalry, if not conflict, has been the permanent backdrop for Indonesia’s foreign policy since the early days of independence and has informed much of it.
Indonesia’s Role in the Rise of East Asia amid China's Ascendancy
2024
China is leading East Asia as the epicentrum of growth in the third decade of 21st century, however, the role of Indonesia is eminent in this rise. Meanwhile, the struggle over influence in the region is acrimonious, as USA, China and Russia are vying for support from countries in this strategic region. Through the lens of neorealism, this study attempts at examining the role of Indonesia in rising East Asia. It argues that Indonesia plays major role especially in mediating and balancing both US-China rivalries through carefully crafted diplomatic strategies. Indonesia provides regional frameworks within which cooperations between opposing countries is possible, while at the same time safeguarding these cooperations through balancing act. Indonesia's strategic position enables it to serve as a global balancer by accepting agreements with China and maintaining close security ties with the United States. Through prudent policies, Indonesia upholds regional stability and plays an effective mediating role among major global powers.
Thinking the Unthinkable: Indonesia’s Search for a Reliable Partnership with the US or China
Asian Research Journal of Arts & Social Sciences
The rise of China stipulates the changing of global architecture on power relationship. Many argue that China attempts to dethrone the United States as a single, unchallenged power in international relations. As this situation continues to develop, China seems to be unpredictable in exercising its foreign policy, specifically at the regional level of Asia Pacific. The uncertain circumstance and fear of losing its power, force the US to interfere the region with a noble motive of safeguarding the other states from Beijing’s aggressive moves. Many countries builds strong connection with China to boost their economic development while at the same time trusting the US more than anyone else in this world for their security, including strategic military cooperation. Among many countries, Indonesia stands in that dilemmatic situation where she needs to capture all opportunities from her growing neighbour and accommodate her traditional security partner. This research aims to unveil Indones...
Indonesia’s relationship with China has been characterised by a history of enmity, but residual concerns belie increasing economic and foreign policy convergence boosted by the positive effects of democratisation on Indonesia’s perceptions of the Chinese. This article will argue that the growing convergence of interests between Indonesia and China is a positive development for Australia. China’s rise has provided the engine of growth for Southeast Asia’s largest economy and has increasingly cemented Indonesia’s importance in the ASEAN-centred regional order. For Australia, it means a stronger, stable, and more prosperous neighbour next door with natural ‘antibodies’ against Chinese assertiveness.
China’s Rise and the Geopolitics of Southeast Asia
2017
The following paper attempts to give an overview on how the rise of China, and the geopolitics of Southeast Asia seem to affect each other. The paper will take a one-by-one overview of each and every ASEAN member state and see what China’s rise mean regarding their own individual strategic interests, and at the end makes an attempt to draw a conclusion of this overview. The main findings of the paper are that the individual interests of the countries of Southeast Asia are likely to prevent the ASEAN to form a regional security bloc or a united front against China, especially that some of these countries even view the growing influence of China as a positive development. At the same time, several key countries of the group in contrary view China as a threat, and seem to be eager to stand up to it with US assistance, so it is also unlikely that the ASEAN as a whole would become the sphere of influence of China. The conclusion of the paper is that the most likely scenario is that the r...
China's Economic Relations with Indonesia: Threats and Opportunities
Journal of Current Southeast Asian Affairs, 2011
The paper examines the development of China's economic ties with Southeast Asia over the last two decades, culminating in the inauguration of the ASEAN-China Free Trade Agreement (ACFTA) in 2010. Particular reference is made to China's trade ties with Indonesia. Although two-way trade between China and Indonesia has grown rapidly since 2000, Indonesian exports to China are dominated by primary products, while imports from China are dominated by manufactures. While this pattern might reflect short-term comparative advantage in both economies, it is causing some concern in Indonesia. The paper assesses these concerns, and possible political reactions.