TheJakartaPost
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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.
The two countries will mark 70 years of their relationship (actually 45 years because of the 25-year hiatus), which has become more intimate over the last five years. As true friends, they should be able to put differences behind much broader common interests.
The President has kept his knack for inclusive national development intact this time around and has even pushed for a legacy — moving the capital city away from Java — that looks largely irreversible. However, Jokowi still has more to prove in the geopolitical sphere — especially when compared to his immediate predecessor.
The latest encroachment on Indonesian waters by Chinese fishing vessels and the Chinese coast guard several days ago highlights a fundamental reality: China could ignore Indonesia’s interests and concerns because it can.
The latest incidents in the North Natuna Sea should serve as another wake-up call for the government to immediately and expediently improve the country’s naval and other related capabilities to safeguard the sovereign rights of the nation, particularly on the southern fringe of South China Sea.
