Ideas@TheCentre
Indonesia cagey on US ties
Much has been made of Indonesia’s cool response to America’s increasing military engagement in northern Australia announced by President Barack Obama on his visit to Canberra this week.
Speaking from the sidelines of the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) Summit in Bali, Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa expressed concern that the move might provoke a ‘vicious cycle' of 'reaction and counter-reaction.’ Indonesia, like its neighbours in Southeast Asia, does not want to be caught in the crossfire of a new US-China arms race.
But it is likely – behind closed doors at least – that Indonesia is more sanguine about the move than Minister Marty’s comments might suggest.
Indonesia has inched closer towards the United States in recent years. Jakarta lobbied for US involvement in the East Asia summit, and quietly welcomed America’s interest in the fractious South China Sea disputes. In 2010, presidents Obama and Yudhoyono signed a Comprehensive Partnership Agreement, and the two countries are enjoying something of a military rapprochement.
Like Australia, Indonesia sees trade with China as key to its economic prosperity. But Jakarta too worries about the prospect of a region dominated by a rapidly strengthening China.
Yet unlike Australia – which makes no secret of its close friendship with the United States – Indonesia is conscious not to be seen as choosing sides. Jakarta wants a strong US presence in the region to balance China’s growing weight without appearing to corner or contain China. Indonesia’s overriding desire is to preserve the status quo so that it can pursue friendly (but not overly close) ties with the United States while building a fruitful economic relationship with China.
With a colonial past, and painful memories of bloody Cold War conflicts that raged in the region not too long ago, Indonesia is wary of any great power dominating the Asia-Pacific. As de facto leader of the ASEAN states, Jakarta is aware that should overt conflict between China and the United States develop, Indonesia will be on the front line.
As an archipelagic state that struggles to secure its own immediate vicinity, Indonesia is keenly conscious of the importance of America’s implicit security guarantee in the Asia-Pacific. Unlike Australia, Jakarta won’t be willing to wear its heart on its sleeve but it will welcome America’s renewed engagement with Asia.
Jessica Brown is a CIS Research Fellow and author of Jakarta’s Juggling Act: Balancing China and America in the Asia-Pacific.
