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New dynamics emerge in Indonesia-China relations
Many Indonesians believe China represents "the future" in that Indonesia's economic fortunes will be inevitably and increasingly tied to China. Yet, some Indonesians are also wary of the risk of becoming too politically and strategically close to China.
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Chinese coast guard ship 3303 passes the Imam Bonjol 383 warship as the Indonesian Navy pursues the Han Tan Cou fishing vessel entering Indonesia's Natuna waters on June 17. The Navy caught the China-flagged boat suspected of illegal fishing in Indonesian waters. (Antara/Photo Courtesy of The Navy's Western Region Fleet Command (Koarmabar))
If you asked me which country Indonesia had grown closest to in the last five years, my answer would be: China.
Indonesia has developed many "partnerships" with other countries -- more than a dozen of them. Yet, no matter how you label them ("strategic","special, comprehensive", "21st century" etc.), Indonesia's partnership with China is perhaps the most substantial.
Indonesia trades with China almost three times more than with the United States. China's investment in Indonesia has been the fastest growing compared to other major investors. The country’s investment in Indonesia in 2017 was 17 times more than its investment in 2007. Chinese tourists visiting Indonesia today outnumber American, Australian, Japanese and Russian tourists combined. There are more Indonesian students studying in China than in the US. Both sides have announced that Indonesia's Global Maritime Fulcrum (GMF) and China's. Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) are compatible. Jakarta supports the BRI (with certain terms) and Beijing supports GMF without qualification. Indonesia-China relations are also saturated with a multitude of ministerial mechanisms, sectoral dialogues and exchanges -- second perhaps only to Indonesia's partnership with Australia.
It is also instructive that President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has met with President Xi Jinping eight times and has visited China four times, including to attend the Belt and Road Summit. President Xi has visited Indonesia three times.
On the other hand, Jokowi has not visited President Donald Trump at the White House and conversely, Trump has not visited Indonesia since assuming office in 2016.
Indonesia's political establishment understands that China today is not China five decades ago. Many Indonesians believe China represents "the future" in that Indonesia's economic fortunes will be inevitably and increasingly tied to China.
Yet, some Indonesians are also wary of the risk of becoming too politically and strategically close to China. There is a paradoxical tendency to be close but to also maintain some distance.
