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China wants Indonesia as strategic partner
China will flesh out promises it made to Indonesia in April,
furthering its plan to make Jakarta a truly strategic partner.
Several memorandums of understanding on trade and investment are likely to
be inked when Indonesian president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono meets with his
Chinese counterpart Hu Jin Tao.
Indonesia is the only Asean country to which China has offered a ‘strategic
partnership', the highest international partnership in China's foreign
relations, thereby elevating Indonesia's position in Beijing's foreign
policy.
So where does Indonesia fit into all of this? What are the advantages that
Indonesia may gain from this kind of partnership?
For an insight into Indonesia's economic and political stance on a
partnership with China, Howie Lim spoke to Professor Teguh Yuwono from the
Diponegoro University in Indonesia.
TY: First of all, relations between Indonesia and China, we already have
strong ties in terms of cultural relations. There are a lot of ethnic
Indonesians having business relations with the Chinese. In my opinion, under
President Abdul Rahman Wahid at that time, the policy of creating good ties
with China was started and that got a lot of it going. After Gus Dur said
that Indonesia would aim to have excellent relations with China, the social
values of Indonesia became more open to have the Chinese in close contact. I
feel optimistic about President Yudhoyono's visit to China and it will make
relations much stronger, not only culturally but also economically and
everyone knows of how china will be the economic power house of the East so
this is one of the advantages Indonesia will glean with having good
relations with China.
One of the concerns that has deterred Chinese companies and companies from
other countries as well from setting up shop in Indonesia has been political
stability. What do you think the Yudhoyono regime can do about this?
TY: The situation can be handled well because in Yudhoyono's cabinet, there
are a lot of people who have good relations with Chinese businessmen so the
domestic problems, I think, is only how to make sure the balance of ethnic
problems can be managed well. In terms of economic relations and Yudhoyono's
economic vision, I don't think the situation will become worse. In
Yudhoyono's cabinet, there are many who are open to more ties with China and
that helps.
Analysts have talked a lot about China's political agenda for wanting to
have a strategic partnership with Indonesia like wanting to counter-balance
the strategic reach of the US and Japan or hoping to isolate Taiwan by
forging closer political ties with major Asean countries. How does the
Yudhoyono regime feel about this political stance of the Chinese?
TY: This has become an important issue, no doubt, but we need to strengthen
Asia because as you can see, the European Union is strong, as is America and
other powers. By establishing this kind of relations with China, I am in
support of the concept of a stronger Asia as well so as to be a balance to
the other powers like the EU and the US. So this is a basic step for
Indonesia to having more roles in international economics and relations.
(Professor Teguh Yuwono from the Diponegoro University in Indonesia, speaking
to Howie Lim/rsi.com.sg/IM)
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