The visits have generated loads of media buzz, with shops highlighting how it’s Mr Prabowo’s first overseas tour since being elected president. Some additionally identified the novelty of an Indonesian president-elect making formal abroad visits.
No Indonesian president-elect has ever finished so. Cases in level – outgoing president Joko Widodo; likewise for his predecessor Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, who received Indonesia’s first direct presidential election in 2004.
Still, analysts CNA spoke to have cautioned about studying an excessive amount of into the developments.
Dr Christine Susanna Tjhin, co-founder and director of Gentala Institute, defined that in Indonesia, there is no such thing as a authorized instrument that regulates the authority and abroad visits of the president-elect.
She believes the assembly with Mr Xi was a diplomatic courtesy from prime Chinese management to Mr Prabowo, who was already scheduled to go to Beijing.
“The visit to China has actually been on the agenda of (Indonesia’s) Ministry of Defence since the end of 2023 or early 2024,” she added.
“The appointment of key ministerial positions and the actual official state visits after his inauguration will be more indicative of Mr Prabowo’s foreign policy direction.”
Expressing related sentiments, Mr Radityo stated the China go to might need been deliberate even earlier than the presidential victory.
“Considering Indonesia is an important player in the region, I would say this is a good strategy from China to show that Mr Prabowo and Indonesia are important partners.”
TWO VISITS, DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES
The journey to China by Mr Prabowo, who can be Indonesia’s present defence minister, was framed otherwise by China and Indonesia.
China’s overseas ministry referred to the 72-year-old as “president-elect of Indonesia and Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra) general chairman” when asserting his go to. A spokesperson additionally underscored that China could be the primary nation visited by Mr Prabowo after being elected president.
President Xi himself introduced up this level throughout their assembly. “You have chosen China as the destination of your first post-election visit, and made a special trip to China during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan,” he advised Mr Prabowo.
In comparability, Indonesia’s defence ministry referred to Mr Prabowo as “Minister of Defence” in a press launch describing his assembly with President Xi. The spokesperson of Mr Prabowo’s presidential marketing campaign additionally stated he was visiting China as defence minister to strengthen bilateral cooperation, significantly on defence affairs.
Analysts say the main focus by China on Mr Prabowo being Indonesia’s subsequent chief is deliberate, particularly because it vies with the United States for regional affect.
“It is China’s way of posturing, to show that they move faster than the US in dealing with (Indonesia’s) next president,” stated worldwide regulation professor Hikmahanto Juwana on the University of Indonesia.
“China’s move is to ensure the friendly diplomatic relationship and economic partnership under the current administration would be continued under the new administration. Hence, we saw a slightly ‘special treatment’ by Mr Xi towards Mr Prabowo in this visit,” Prof Juwana added.
Two-way commerce between China and Indonesia was about US$150 billion in 2022, triple the tally again in 2013. Chinese funding in Indonesia got here in at US$8.2 billion in 2022 as effectively, putting China because the nation’s second-largest investor after Singapore.
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/asia/indonesia-prabowo-subianto-president-elect-visits-china-japan-foreign-policy-diplomacy-southeast-asia-4239046
