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ndonesia has been urged to clarify its stance regarding the US military presence in Asia after US President Barack Obama unveiled a new defense strategy last week that shifts the US military focus in the region.

The new strategy comes amid increasing concern at the Pentagon over China’s strategic goals as it begins to field a new generation of weapons that American officials fear are designed to prevent US naval and air forces from projecting power into the Far East, Reuters has reported.

If carried out, the strategy would significantly reshape the world’s largest military from the one that executed US president George W. Bush’s “war on terrorism” in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“It is hard to deny the fact that Indonesia has good relations with the US. But we need to support the stability process in the region,” Indonesia Defense University lecturer Bantarto Bandoro said Sunday in Jakarta.

“Indonesia must take a stance that won’t be regarded as support for US policy in the Asia-Pacific. The Indonesian government must issue a statement telling the US that Obama’s new policy should not disrupt the situation and condition in the region,” he said.

Bantarto expressed concerns that the new US military strategy would trigger further reactions from China and potentially even Russia.

“I am also worried that Japan will extend its support to the US [in response to the new strategy]. This may make China more aggressive toward Japan — Japan and China do not have good relations,” he said.

University of Indonesia international relations expert Haryadi Wiryawan says the developments make it essential for Indonesia to continue with its strategic plan to upgrade military equipment and weaponry.

“The tension in the region will escalate. China will not respond to this by doing nothing. Countries in the region will increase their military spending to anticipate further developments. Indonesia also needs to continually strengthen its defense,” he said.

Haryadi added, however, that it was even more important for Indonesia to advance diplomacy to respond to the situation.

He also said it was likely that a new diplomatic strategy was needed, citing that the East Asia Summit forum, which now includes China, the US and Russia, had not met expectations for curbing conflicts in the region as the larger powers held rigidly to their own agendas.

Indonesian Foreign Ministry spokesman Michael Tene earlier said in response to the new US defense strategy announcement that Indonesia would use regional frameworks, such as ASEAN, ASEAN Plus Three and the East Asia Summit to address the situation.

“We’ve developed frameworks to maintain peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific. No countries in the region want instability. We’ve developed mechanisms as channels for communications so that there will be no misunderstandings when something happens,” Michael said on Friday.

Obama said last week that the US budget cuts would not deter the country’s military plan in Asia.