President-elect Prabowo Subianto’s visit to Beijing, at the invitation of the Chinese government, signifies a potential pivot in Indonesia’s foreign policy toward China. This visit comes at a crucial time, as Indonesia seeks to assert its position in the region amid escalating China-U.S. rivalry. Examining Prabowo’s historical stance toward China unveils a complex narrative. During … Read more
The findings from ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute’s State of Southeast Asia 2024 survey present a nuanced picture of Indonesian perceptions towards China. While the data indicates a notable increase in China’s influence across Southeast Asia, particularly in Indonesia, the underlying sentiments reflect a complex interplay of economic opportunities, geopolitical concerns, and socio-cultural affinities. According to the … Read more
Indonesia and Australia are preparing to open a new chapter in their diplomatic relations. Shortly after the general election in Indonesia in February, the winner of the election, Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto, met with Australia’s Defense Minister Richard Marles in Jakarta. During the meeting, the two leaders agreed to strengthen cooperation in the defense sector … Read more
There are not many references available on cooperation between Indonesia and the states of Central Asia – Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan – which perhaps explains the low level of political-economic commitments between the two so far. While Islam plays a key part in both sides’ sociocultural fabrics and both Indonesia and the Central … Read more
France’s Naval Group recently announced that Indonesia had signed a contract to purchase two Scorpene submarines, which a lithium-ion battery system will power in a deal valued at around $2 billion. The most interesting part to me is that both submarines will be built in Indonesia by state-owned shipbuilder PT PAL at its facility in … Read more
Gaba and Rya, an interfaith couple from the Catholic and Protestant denominations of Christianity, were overjoyed after their marriage application was approved by the North Jakarta District Court to be recorded and registered at the Population and Civil Registration Agency. They had reason to be worried. In Indonesia, interfaith marriages are not considered legal under … Read more
“I know what you think,” the source tells me. “That it’s fake. It’s not fake. It’s our life.” It is a video of an act of torture in Gome, in central West Papua. It shows a man with his hands tied inside a water-filled drum. Men take turns beating and kicking the man, screaming racist … Read more
Indonesia’s energy sector stands at the cusp of potentially transformative change with Prabowo Subianto’s assumption of the presidency in October. While the energy policy of the incoming administration has yet to be articulated in detail, an analysis of Prabowo’s campaign promises and political trajectories offers insights into what this crucial sector might look like under … Read more
Last week I wrote about how Indonesian tech giant GoTo is inching toward profitability by, among other things, selling 75 percent of its e-commerce operation to TikTok and aggressively cutting costs. GoTo might even post a net profit this year, which would represent quite a turnaround from recent years where losses have gone into the … Read more
Indonesia’s president-elect Prabowo Subianto said today that he wants to deepen security and economic cooperation with Japan, just days after stating the same thing with regard to China. Prabowo, who currently serves as Indonesia’s defense minister, arrived in Japan last night from China, where he made his first foreign trip since winning a significant victory … Read more