Author: Zulfa Ruhama
Ruhama, Zulfa, 2016 Indonesia’s Middle Power Project in the Indo-Pacific during the presidencies of Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Joko Widodo 2004-2016 , Flinders University, College of Business, Government and Law
Terms of Use: This electronic version is (or will be) made publicly available by Flinders University in accordance with its open access policy for student theses. Copyright in this thesis remains with the author. You may use this material for uses permitted under the Copyright Act 1968. If you are the owner of any included third party copyright material and/or you believe that any material has been made available without permission of the copyright owner please contact copyright@flinders.edu.au with the details.
The Indo-Pacific as strategic geography is characterized by its ocean-centeredness, geo-economic coherency, and its raison d’etre of preserving US influence and leverage in Asia. The geopolitical conception of the Indo-Pacific provided the common vocabulary for referring to the rise of the smaller and middle powers and to the US Pivot to Asia. Indonesia has embraced the conception of the Indo-Pacific because it did not compromise Indonesia’s nonaligned position, preserved the balance of power in the region, and satisfied Indonesia’s aspiration for regional leadership.
The US pivot to Asia, and the Indo-Pacific strategy, offers Indonesia an opportunity to be a more important actor, as deeper strategic and military cooperation with the US will support Indonesia in improving its combat capabilities.
Keywords: Indonesia Foreign Policy, International Relations, Global Maritime Fulcrum
Subject: International Relations thesis
Thesis type: Masters
Completed: 2016
School: College of Business, Government and Law
Supervisor: Michael Barr