The Key Takeaways From Chinese FM Wang Yi’s Visit to Indonesia
The DiplomatIndonesian President Joko Widodo, commonly known as Jokowi, hosted Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on April 18. If Prabowo's recent visit to China underscored the significance of China to Indonesia, Wang’s visit highlights Indonesia's reciprocal importance as a key partner for Beijing in Southeast Asia. Wang’s discussions with Indonesian officials, including Jokowi and Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi, focused mostly on economic partnership between the two nations. While the commendable endeavors of Indonesia and China in advocating for peace in Palestine merit recognition and sustained commitment, it is imperative for these nations to divert attention toward mitigating tensions in a neighboring, more immediate context – the ongoing conflict in the South China Sea region. The two sides need to acknowledge that without a concerted effort to tackle the South China Sea issue, the full potential of bilateral defense cooperation, which they also discussed during Wang’s visit, will remain unrealized.