Maletin Nikolay

Indonesia in ASEAN and in the Partnership of Powers

ЮГО-ВОСТОЧНАЯ АЗИЯ: АКТУАЛЬНЫЕ ПРОБЛЕМЫ РАЗВИТИЯ, 2024, №3(64), 98-126

 
Annotation: Indonesia's main regional concern and foreign policy priority is the cohesion of ASEAN countries and the preservation of its authority in the new Indo-Pacific Region. With the formation of the QUAD, the issue of ASEAN's loss of influence became more pressing, which was reflected in Indonesia's foreign policy. The QUAD presented ASEAN members with a dilemma — with which of the rival leading powers of the "four" or China should they be friends. Indonesia has intensified relations with China, not opposing itself to the Maritime Silk Road, but complementing it. Jakarta is ready to develop contacts and coordination with China, strengthening the comprehensive partnership, but not forgetting the contradictions, especially on the issue of Beijing's territorial claims. Indonesia actively advocates the adoption of the Code of Conduct for the Parties in the SCS. Indonesian-Russian relations are not so colorful, but they are based on a historical tradition of friendship, which the United States and China do not have. They are inferior to Indonesia's other partners in terms of quantity and quality, although both sides talk about the possibility of a breakthrough. But while the US and China cooperate at the level of the Comprehensive Partnership, Russia has to be content with the status of a dialogue partner, and Covid cannot be blamed for this alone.

Keywords: ASEAN, dialogue partners, strategic partnership, comprehensive partnership, ASEAN-centricity, IPR, QUAD, ASEAN Indo-Pacific Vision, Code of Conduct for Parties in the South China Sea, Indonesia – the maritime axis of the world, Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), COVID-19