Indonesia Urged to Maintain Sovereignty Amid China's South China Sea Aggressions

Jakarta, June 21, 2024 – The University of Pelita Harapan (UPH) and the Forum of Indonesian Sinology (FSI) held a seminar titled “China’s Threat in the South China Sea: Between Perception and Reality.” The seminar highlighted critical views on China's aggressive stance in the South China Sea, with a call for serious attention from the Indonesian government to align public perception with elite perspectives.

Executive director of the G20 Study Center UPH, Dr. Liwe emphasized Indonesia's need to uphold its principles in foreign policy amidst the South China Sea tensions. "Indonesia's free and active foreign policy does not mean it lacks principles," she asserted. "With strong principles, Indonesia can play a significant role on the regional and international stage,” she said, quoted by VIVA English.

The seminar sparked discussions in response to a recent ISDS public opinion poll. Edna Caroline from Indonesia Strategic and Defence Studies said that the survey revealed that 78.9% of respondents view China’s presence in the South China Sea as a threat to ASEAN countries, while 73.1% see it as a threat to Indonesia specifically. Interestingly, the younger generations, namely Millennials and Gen Z, also perceived China as a threat.

UPH Master of Communication Lecturer and also Chair of the Indonesian Sinology Forum, Dr. Johanes Herlijanto provided an in-depth analysis of the historical and contemporary perceptions of China as a threat among the Indonesian public.

He traced the origins of this perception back to the New Order era, where distrust towards China was pervasive due to suspicions of Chinese interference in domestic affairs.

"During the New Order regime, the perception of China as a threat was dominant and persisted until the regime's end," Dr. Herlijanto explained. He noted a shift during President Yudhoyono's administration when public perception towards China became more positive, especially among the middle class.

However, this positive sentiment reversed around 2015 due to the rise of new media exposing China's international conduct, intensified economic relations between Indonesia and China marred by issues such as migrant workers, and China's increasingly assertive stance in the South China Sea.

Dr. Herlijanto emphasized that Indonesia must respond wisely to the critical views and negative perceptions of China. "The Indonesian government needs to exercise caution in economic cooperation with China while maintaining or even enhancing its assertive stance, especially concerning sovereignty and independence."

Lecturer at Defense University Maritime Security Study Program, Rear Admiral (Ret.) Dr. Surya Wiranto delineated the difference between sovereignty and sovereign rights. He clarified that Indonesia's territorial sovereignty extends 12 nautical miles from its outermost islands, while sovereign rights over the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) stretch up to 200 nautical miles.

“China's claims, based on historical fishing rights and continental shelf exploitation, are illegal under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Despite this, China continues to enforce its claims through maritime militia, coast guard, and naval presence,” Dr. Wiranto said.