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China expected to remain key economic partner after election
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Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranowo (right) takes a selfie with President Joko “Jokowi“ Widodo and Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto during a rice harvest event in Central Java. (The Jakarta Post/Presidential Palace)
R
egardless of the outcome of the upcoming presidential election, business and investment relations between Indonesia and China will remain strong, analysts say, though they expect one candidate to bring home slightly more if elected, while another might do the opposite.
The relationship between Indonesia and China was likely to remain friendly under either Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranowo or Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto, according to Wen Chong Cheah, a research analyst at the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU).
However, under former Jakarta governor Anies Baswedan it is likely to “cool-down” slightly, he told The Jakarta Post on Thursday.
Cheah stated that Ganjar had worked extensively with Chinese officials in a variety of sectors, including tourism, commerce and human resources and had frequently met with Chinese officials and business leaders during his tenure as governor.
Meanwhile, Prabowo has frequently met with Chinese officials. With Prabowo as Defense Minister, Indonesia had rarely, if ever, made negative comments about China's activities in the South China Sea, he said.
“While ties with China will remain warm if he is elected president, he has only worked with China on matters of defense; it is uncertain if this will translate equally into economic gains,” Cheah said.
Meanwhile, Ganjar was expected to leverage his experience and familiarity to boost ties between the two countries, which could lead to an increase in investment and stronger economic relations, he said.
