Author: Lidya Christin Sinaga
Sinaga, Lidya Christin, 2016 Indonesia's China foreign policy under President Joko Widodo: projecting the 'Global Maritime Fulcrum', Flinders University, College of Business, Government and Law
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This thesis examines the implications of the vision of a “Global Maritime Fulcrum” (GMF) for Indonesia’s China foreign policy under President Joko Widodo. Domestic political considerations explain how Widodo uses nationalism as a source of legitimacy by reviving the old value of the nation as an archipelagic country. Consequently, his domestic reform agenda focusses on protection of state sovereignty and an emphasis on archipelagic maritime agenda. President Widodo’s foreign policy on the GMF is a function of the two features of his domestic reform agenda. In practice, economic performance is the main source of regime legitimacy. The economic-related agenda of GMF remains the most salient foreign policy goal of the GMF. However, China presents both opportunities and challenges for the GMF vision. While China appears as the source of foreign investment to fund President Widodo’s infrastructure agenda, it challenges Widodo’s commitment to protect Indonesian territorial integrity and sovereignty over its Exclusive Economic Zone. By adopting a “regime legitimation” approach, as defined by Cheng-Chwee, this thesis examines Indonesia’s China foreign policy through two important developments in Indonesia-China relations; infrastructure projects and the Natuna Sea. This thesis argues that Indonesia’s China foreign policy under President Widodo tends to be ambivalent: maintaining economic pragmatism and downplaying any security issues.
Keywords: Global Maritime Fulcrum, President Joko Widodo, Indonesia's China foreign policy
Subject: International Relations thesis
Thesis type: Masters
Completed: 2016
School: College of Business, Government and Law
Supervisor: Dr Michael Sullivan