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Outlook on Indonesia-Taiwan cooperation under new presidencies
With their shared commitment to democratic principles and technological advancements, Taiwan and Indonesia can look to forging their relationship further as they navigate their respective transitions of power.
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Amping up: Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) head Bahlil Lahadalia (left) and West Java Governor Ridwan Kamil (center) wield shovels on July 21, 2020 during the groundbreaking ceremony for a factory belonging to PT Meiloon Technology Indonesia at the Taifa Industrial Estate in Subang, West Java. Meiloon Industrial Co., Ltd. is the largest speaker design and manufacturer in Taiwan. (Courtesy of/West Java provincial administration)
I
ndonesia and Taiwan held their presidential elections in early 2024. Considering that both governments are entering a new era, it is time to look back and reflect on the accomplishments of their outgoing administrations in strengthening bilateral relations.
Following President Tsai Ing-wen's momentous win in the 2016 election, she and the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) made it their priority to strengthen Taiwan's relations with “like-minded” countries in the Indo-Pacific region. To this end, President Tsai introduced what eventually became her administration's flagship policy, namely the New Southbound Policy (NSP). Taiwan recognized Indonesia as one of the target recipients of this initiative.
The term of Taiwan’s next president Lai Ching-te, who was Tsai’s vice president, will therefore try to maintain or expand the scope of the NSP. We can expect Taiwan to double down on its approach to be closer to Indonesia and other NSP countries.
While Indonesia does not officially recognize Taiwan as an independent state, the two have been carefully deepening their relations for decades. Prior to the unveiling of the NSP, Taiwan-Indonesia relations could be described as a pragmatic diplomacy, whereby the scope of their interaction was largely based on economic benefit, particularly one-way Taiwanese investments and trade with Indonesia.
The NSP focuses on bolstering existing collaboration and expanding on future engagement beyond the realm of economics and pursuing a more comprehensive bidirectional engagement.
Aside from economics, education has been the backbone of Taiwan-Indonesia relations. According to Taiwan’s Ministry of Education, more than 16,000 Indonesian students are currently studying in Taiwan.
In addition, around 200 lecturers from different Indonesian universities are recipients of the Ministry of Education's New Southbound Elite Study Program, allowing them to pursue higher degrees and professional programs in leading Taiwanese universities.
