China-Indonesia Relations
Society
Beyond trade: The human ties reshaping Indonesia-China relations
Beyond Chinese infrastructural investment or resources extraction in Indonesia, the web of exchanges formed from building mobility, education and institutional links could help to foster a more holistic approach to building bilateral relations and make them stronger, says analyst Kevin Zongzhe Li.
Kevin Zongzhe Li
28 Apr 2026
Economy
Indonesia’s nickel hub: Beyond state control?
Morowali, a key centre of Indonesia’s nickel processing industry, is becoming a “para-sovereign” space where formal sovereignty is intact yet practical authority is shared, fragmented or captured by private actors, says researcher Ronny P Sasmita.
Ronny P Sasmita
20 Feb 2026
Politics
Why Indonesian President Prabowo is drawn to Xi Jinping’s China
Prabowo’s Beijing visit signalled more than diplomacy. It reflected a shared belief in strong states, moralised authority and culturally rooted legitimacy. Like Xi, Indonesia’s president sees development without Western liberalism — and a role in a multipolar order, argues researcher Ronny P Sasmita.
Ronny P Sasmita
16 Dec 2025
Economy
Indonesia’s high-speed rail hits a money crunch — can it pull through?
Indonesia’s Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Rail (Whoosh) faces heavy financial losses as ridership falls short and debt payments rise. Can the project overcome these challenges and stay on track? Researcher Michael Hutahaean and academic Chen Xiangming examine the situation.
Michael Hutahaean, Chen Xiangming
12 Dec 2025
Economy
Why China wants Indonesia’s palm oil
China is seeking long-term palm oil supplies from Indonesia to safeguard its food and energy security. But as trade deepens, Jakarta faces tough questions — from environmental pressures to managing domestic demand and export commitments. Researcher Genevieve Donnellon-May examines the issue.
Genevieve Donnellon-May
28 Oct 2025
Economy
Can Indonesia stay green while becoming the ‘Saudi Arabia of nickel’?
Indonesia’s push to become a nickel powerhouse amid its green energy transition threatens fragile ecosystems and local communities. The true test lies in balancing decarbonisation, biodiversity and geopolitical sovereignty amid growing Chinese influence, says researcher Ronny P Sasmita.
Ronny P Sasmita
07 Oct 2025
Politics
Prabowo, Xi and Putin: Indonesia’s quiet pivot towards a China-led future?
Prabowo’s leadership style and strategic worldview appear to align more naturally with leaders such as China’s Xi Jinping and Russia’s Vladimir Putin than with Washington’s establishment. For China, this presents both an opportunity and a challenge, says researcher Ronny P Sasmita.
Ronny P Sasmita
23 Sep 2025
Economy
How China’s COSCO is redrawing global shipping routes through Southeast Asia
China’s COSCO has launched a new direct shipping route linking Batam, Indonesia, and Yangpu, Hainan, enhancing regional trade, diversifying supply chains, and boosting Batam’s role amid growing US-China competition and shifting global maritime dynamics. Researcher Genevieve Donnellon-May explores its implications.
Genevieve Donnellon-May
16 Sep 2025
Economy
Nusantara: Indonesia’s bold new capital and China’s rising influence
China is playing a major role in Indonesia, not least in the relocation of Indonesia’s capital from Jakarta to Nusantara, where China is involved in areas from infrastructure to high-tech industries. Researcher Michael Hutahaean and academic Chen Xiangming tell us more.
Michael Hutahaean, Chen Xiangming
08 Aug 2025
Politics
Can the Ambalat deal be a model for the South China Sea?
The Malaysia-Indonesia Ambalat deal, if well implemented, will further reinforce the practice of joint development as a pragmatic and effective way and a diplomatic norm to handle territorial and maritime disputes, and could offer some lessons for dealings with China in the South China Sea disputes. Malaysian academic Ngeow Chow Bing explains.
Ngeow Chow Bing
22 Jul 2025
Economy
Can Trump reroute Asia’s trade?
US President Donald Trump is clearly focused on Southeast Asian nations reducing reliance on Chinese supply chains. Vietnam’s transshipment clause and Indonesia’s hefty purchase commitments signal a broader US aim to reshape regional trade dynamics and possibly isolate China economically, but that will be easier said than done, says economist Alicia García Herrero.
Alicia García Herrero
22 Jul 2025
Politics
Is the ‘China-ASEAN+’ model quietly taking shape?
Successive visits by top Chinese leaders to Southeast Asia reflect the region’s importance to China, says ISEAS researcher Lye Liang Fook, who argues that stronger ties will allow China to burnish its credentials as a reliable partner and counter US influence.
Lye Liang Fook
04 Jun 2025