https://www.scmp.com/rss/503417/feed Evan A. Laksmana is a political scientist and senior researcher at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Jakarta, Indonesia. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Following the Asean Leaders Meeting (ALM) in Jakarta on April 24, the group issued a “five-point consensus” on Myanmar. It calls for an immediate cessation of violence, a constructive dialogue among all parties facilitated by a Special Envoy of the Asean Chair and assisted by the Secretary General, the provision of humanitarian assistance, and the visit by an Asean delegation to Myanmar. There are three primary outcomes to achieve: ending violence, delivering aid, and an inclusive dialogue among... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3132179/forget-asean-bureaucracy-brunei-must-decide-myanmar-special-envoy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3132179/forget-asean-bureaucracy-brunei-must-decide-myanmar-special-envoy?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 05 May 2021 01:30:18 +0000 Since early February, Indonesia has been calling for an Asean-led response to the post-coup crisis in Myanmar, with President Joko Widodo on March 19 requesting a high-level meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to address the situation even as he urged an end to the violence and a return to dialogue. While many support such an Asean-centric solution, time is running out. The death toll in Myanmar has already surpassed 400 as both the military and civilian protesters harden their... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3127429/myanmar-crisis-will-indonesias-pleas-china-japan-and-us-be-heard?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3127429/myanmar-crisis-will-indonesias-pleas-china-japan-and-us-be-heard?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 29 Mar 2021 05:27:59 +0000 Indonesia’s low-key diplomatic protest at the United Nations against China’s disputed claims in the South China Sea last week made some analysts sit up and take notice, with one even describing the move as groundbreaking. The “note verbale” – an unsigned but officially marked diplomatic communication issued in the third person that carries less weight than a formal diplomatic note – invoked the 2016 ruling by a tribunal established under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) that... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3087017/why-indonesia-wont-let-beijing-forget-philippines-south-china-sea?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3087017/why-indonesia-wont-let-beijing-forget-philippines-south-china-sea?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 01 Jun 2020 23:00:28 +0000 This year Indonesia and China will celebrate 70 years of diplomatic relations. But the journey has not always been smooth sailing. When Indonesia broke off diplomatic ties in 1967, the relationship went into a deep freeze. Even when ties were restored in 1990, it took more than a decade until the two sides could sign a Strategic Partnership in 2005 (upgraded to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2013). Since then, Indonesia and China have enjoyed closer economic and diplomatic engagements.... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3046611/beijings-dubious-claims-undermine-indonesias-role-south-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3046611/beijings-dubious-claims-undermine-indonesias-role-south-china?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Jan 2020 01:30:14 +0000 Indonesian President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo caused surprise and chagrin when he picked his election rival and chair of the Gerindra Party, retired general Prabowo Subianto, as his defence minister earlier this week. Prabowo’s chequered military past is well known. He was one of the country’s most powerful generals under the authoritarian regime of Suharto, his then father-in-law. A few months after Suharto’s downfall in May 1998, a disciplinary board convened by the military leadership effectively... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3034634/should-china-be-concerned-about-indonesias-new-defence-minister?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3034634/should-china-be-concerned-about-indonesias-new-defence-minister?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 28 Oct 2019 00:00:16 +0000 Asean is having ongoing discussions on its vision for the Indo-Pacific, as the world’s two largest economies offer opposing ideas for their engagement in the region. Leaders of the 10-member bloc want cooperation to be governed by openness, transparency and inclusivity, while maintaining a rules-based approach that highlights the centrality of the association itself. Indonesia has been leading the push for Asean to declare its vision for the Indo-Pacific. A joint statement would be ready by next... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/geopolitics/article/2173934/indonesias-indo-pacific-vision-call-asean-stick-together?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/geopolitics/article/2173934/indonesias-indo-pacific-vision-call-asean-stick-together?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 20 Nov 2018 04:00:45 +0000