China and Indonesia’s Maritime Agendas Closely Aligned

Jakarta Globe, Basten Gokkon, Dec 03, 2014

Indonesian Air Force planes flying over Kambing island in the Java
Sea in this Oct. 4, 2014, file photo. (Antara Photo/Eric Ireng)

Jakarta. Indonesia’s Global Maritime Fulcrum agenda is seen to complement China’s maritime-based initiative known as the Maritime Silk Road. It is also believed that both plans would eventually ease the tensions in the South China Sea, according to the country’s top foreign policy experts.

“I can see three areas where our own maritime development agenda actually fills in or overlaps with the Maritime Silk Road ideas of President Xi Jinping,” Rizal Sukma, the presidential adviser for foreign policy, said at a public forum on Tuesday afternoon.

“Both ideas or doctrines, if you like, are about connectivity, safety and diplomacy. They are not about power supremacy,” he says.

During his presentation at the East Asia Summit in Myanmar last month, President Joko Widodo launched his maritime development agenda, which is based on five pillars covering issues related to economies, security and development.

Meanwhile, Xi has announced China’s aim for closer trade and maritime cooperation with Indonesia under the establishment of the 21st century Maritime Silk Road initiative, Beijing’s version of a maritime trade network stretching from East Asia to the Middle East.

Hassan Wirajuda, a former Indonesian foreign affairs minister, echoed Rizal, even going further by saying that “the two concepts could redirect the tense environment resulted from the claims and counter claims in the South China Sea.”

“[The maritime-based cooperation between Indonesia and China could lead] to better relations … that in the end could help solve the problems of claims and counter claims in the South China Sea,” Hassan added.

The territorial dispute in the South China Sea includes China, which claims ownership over the Paracell Islands and the Spratly Islands, and Asean member states Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines and Brunei Darussalam.

Indonesia has adopted a neutral stance on the dispute as it wants to play mediating role between the parties involved in the conflict.