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
The Diplomat author Mercy Kuo regularly engages subject-matter experts, policy practitioners, and strategic thinkers across the globe for their diverse insights into U.S. Asia policy. This conversation with Dr. Bridget Welsh – honorary research associate at the Asia Research Institute of University of Nottingham Malaysia, senior research associate of the Hu Feng Center for East Asia … Read more
“The first function of the nation is to protect, meaning defense, brothers.” So declared Prabowo Subianto, Indonesia’s minister of defense, in his opening statement to a presidential debate on January 7. The former general continued: “We understand our country is very large, very rich. For hundreds of years countries from far away came to this … Read more
After reviewing the foreign policy platforms of two of Indonesia’s three presidential candidates, Prabowo Subianto and Ganjar Pranowo, this article will extend this analysis to the third and final candidate, Anies Baswedan. Since announcing his candidacy in September 2023, this former governor of Jakarta has run with a narrative of “change,” and has opposed many … Read more
Continuing on from my previous analysis of the foreign policy orientation of Indonesian presidential candidate Ganjar Pranowo, this article will examine where Prabowo Subianto stands on these issues. Prabowo, Indonesia’s current minister of defense, is running for the presidency for the third time, after falling short against President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo in 2014 and 2019. … Read more
From pandemic and economic slowdown to climate change and food and energy shortages, our world is in an age of turbulence. Unfortunately, the mood is not jubilant for international cooperation now. Great power rivalry and the war in Ukraine have polarized the world into opposing blocs. Trust deficits between countries are pervasive and zero-sum thinking … Read more
In Indonesia, the upcoming general election in February 2024 is now well and truly dominating the news. Three pairs of presidential and vice-presidential candidates have now registered to run in the election, and are busy announcing their competing visions regarding the economy, human capital development, legal reform, and technological advancement. Undoubtedly, one of the least … Read more
Advertisement On October 10-11, Indonesia hosted a high-level meeting of the Archipelagic and Island States Forum, commonly known as the AIS Summit. After successfully hosting the G-20 and Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summits for two consecutive years, this recent meeting in Bali reflected Indonesia’s commitment to taking the lead in addressing issues related … Read more
Advertisement The 43rd Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit and related meetings, which are taking place this week in Jakarta under Indonesia’s chairmanship, might seem like an opportunity teeming with potential for the Southeast Asian bloc. However, the summit is taking place at an intersection of geopolitical challenges and is fraught with the bloc’s … Read more
Advertisement Early this year, Retno Marsudi, Indonesia’s foreign minister, proclaimed that her nation was a part of the community of Pacific nations. Retno’s statement echoed the words of the former Indonesian ambassador to New Zealand, who declared in 2020 that Indonesia was the largest Pacific island nation. Both were examples of rhetoric that betrayed the … Read more