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Indonesia warns of ‘open conflict’ in Indo-Pacific
A recent study by a regional think tank has found that Southeast Asians are increasingly concerned by the escalation of tensions between the United States and China.
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Sailors assigned to Explosive Ordnance Disposal Group 2 recover a high-altitude surveillance balloon off the coast of Myrtle Beach, the United States, in the Atlantic Ocean on Feb. 5, in this photo provided by the US Navy. US President Joe Biden on Feb. 6 defended the decision to wait until a Chinese balloon crossed the US before shooting it down and the White House said valuable intelligence was being culled from the device. (AFP/US Navy/Petty Officer 1st Class Tyler Th)
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ndonesia has recently given countries in the Indo-Pacific a stern reminder that the geopolitical rivalry between the United States and China could “very well escalate into open conflict” if not properly managed, underpinning broader concerns that things could turn from bad to worse.
Tensions between Washington and Beijing have been high after a recent balloon incident quashed plans for the leaders of the two superpowers to finally meet in person after a period of cooling ties under pandemic duress.
Analysts are now questioning the state of Southeast Asia’s security and calling on Indonesia to strengthen relevant ASEAN-led mechanisms, lest the bloc risk an existential threat go unchecked.
Recent years have seen different approaches by Indo-Pacific powers in grappling with China’s rise as a superpower and regional benefactor. Some nations opt for diplomatic strategies to balance Beijing’s influence, while others choose to revive exclusive groups such as the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, also known as the Quad.
The Quad sees the US grouped together with Japan, India and Australia, all of whom have competing interests with China in one form or another.
Australia is also one of three nations comprising AUKUS, another mini-lateral group that seeks to provide Canberra with nuclear-powered submarine capabilities. It has drawn concerns about compliance with existing international law.
Jakarta asserted the need to keep the region free of nuclear weapons and maintain strict adherence to the Nuclear Proliferation Treaty (NPT) during a meeting of defense and foreign ministers in Australia last week.
