Indonesia and Malaysia Navigate Complex Ties with China

Jakarta, January 16, 2025 – Despite a significant surge in economic ties, particularly over the last decade, Indonesia's relationship with the People's Republic of China continues to be marked by skepticism, caution, and concerns among a segment of the Indonesian elite and public about China's intentions and actions.

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Johanes Herlijanto, Chairman of the Indonesian Sinology Forum (FSI), expressed this sentiment in his concluding remarks at a seminar titled “Dancing with the Dragon? Indonesian and Malaysian Policies toward China," jointly organized by FSI, Paramadina Public Policy Institute (PPPI), and a Malaysian think tank, Bait Al Amanah.

"Indonesia," Herlijanto stated, "cannot abandon its neutral stance and lean towards China, especially if such a move could jeopardize Indonesian sovereignty, which broadly encompasses the nation's sovereign rights and independence. Sovereignty is a sensitive issue that can ignite nationalism in Indonesian society."

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The FSI Chairman, who is also a lecturer at Pelita Harapan University, argued that Indonesia has not only maintained an equal distance in its relations with China and other powers, including Western nations, but has also demonstrated its readiness to take firm action if China or any other country violates Indonesian sovereignty.

The decisive actions of Indonesia's Maritime Security Agency (Bakamla) against Chinese Coast Guard vessels that had intruded into Indonesia's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in November 2024 serve as a clear example.

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Similarly, the replacement of Chinese-made drones with Turkish-made drones to safeguard Indonesia's territory in the Natuna Islands is seen as a prudent step that demonstrates Indonesia's commitment to preserving its sovereignty amid China's increasingly assertive and aggressive stance in the South China Sea.

Herlijanto also noted that Malaysia, like Indonesia, has shown a willingness to take firm action against any country that violates its sovereignty. Referencing the work of renowned Malaysian international relations expert Professor Cheng-Chwee Kuik, Herlijanto recounted how Malaysia had deployed its fighter jets in 2021 to intercept Chinese Air Force planes that had flown near Malaysia's Sarawak region.

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Professor Cheng-Chwee Kuik, a professor of international relations at the National University of Malaysia (UKM), who was the keynote speaker at the seminar, identified three key factors shaping Malaysia's complex foreign policy towards China: economic pragmatism, engagement, and equidistance. According to Kuik, economic pragmatism has been the cornerstone of Malaysia-China relations since before the two countries established diplomatic ties in 1974.