China’s Strategy for Promoting Non-Alignment in Southeast Asia | Xue Song

“This passing exercise east of Taiwan demonstrates that a major ASEAN country … can conduct military training with China while maintaining close defence cooperation with the United States.”

Today's introduction is from Dr Gatra Priyandita, a senior analyst at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute specialising in Southeast Asian security and the geopolitics of cyberspace. He has published widely in academic journals, policy reports and newspapers, including recently an insightful analysis of Indonesia’s naval exercise with China and its implications for Indonesian foreign policy. We're very grateful to him for contributing to this newsletter. — James

Dr Xue Song argues that Sino-Indonesian relations under President Prabowo Subianto are becoming “more strategic and institutionalised”. Her evidence includes the inaugural Comprehensive Strategic Dialogue, the second foreign and defence ministers’ (2+2) meeting, a planned 2027-31 action plan and expanding defence cooperation, including through the Peace Garuda exercises. She contends that economic frictions such as nickel policy can be contained within this framework, and that Indonesia’s engagement may widen political spa…