Indonesia’s newly inaugurated president, Prabowo Subianto, emphasized the importance of collaboration over confrontation with China during his visit to Beijing, where he oversaw the signing of $10 billion in new business deals at a forum on Sunday. As he prepares to head to Washington, Subianto expressed his desire for Indonesia to be part of China’s rise not only as an economic power but also as a “civilizational power.”
In his speech, Subianto stressed that the path to peace and prosperity in the modern world lies in cooperation, not conflict. “We must show that collaboration, rather than confrontation, is the way forward,” he stated.
This visit marks the first stop in Subianto’s inaugural overseas trip since taking office three weeks ago. His next destination is Washington, where he will meet U.S. leaders amid ongoing tensions between the U.S. and China. Afterward, he will attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Peru and the G20 summit in Brazil.
During his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday, Subianto agreed to strengthen bilateral ties, including elevating security cooperation to a fifth “pillar,” alongside political, economic, maritime, and people-to-people relations. The two leaders also decided to hold a landmark joint meeting of their foreign and defense ministers in 2025, as outlined in a joint statement.
“Indonesia is very clear,” Subianto said. “We have always been nonaligned and respectful of all great powers in the world.”
Indonesia has largely stayed out of the territorial disputes between China and other Southeast Asian nations in the South China Sea. While Indonesia does not have a formal dispute with China, tensions have arisen, such as in the past month, when Indonesian patrol ships confronted a Chinese coast guard vessel that was interfering with an Indonesian seismic survey being conducted by an energy company.
China has made significant investments in Indonesia, particularly in the mining sector, and played a major role in the construction of Indonesia’s first high-speed railway, a 142-kilometer line between Jakarta and Bandung that opened last year. However, Indonesian manufacturers, particularly in the garment industry, have faced challenges due to a surge in low-cost Chinese imports, which have led to factory closures and calls for tariffs. The Indonesian government is walking a fine line, balancing support for local industries while maintaining a strong trade relationship with China.