Indonesia’s Prabowo scores ‘major diplomatic coup’ with China, Japan visits in signal of future policy direction

Prabowo pledged to boost Indonesia’s security ties with both China and Japan, in a move that helps ‘lay the groundwork’ for when he takes over as president in October

Analysts say Prabowo’s visits signal his intention to present a ‘good neighbour policy’ as he seeks to boost Indonesia’s defence and economy

4-MIN READ4-MIN

Indonesian president-elect and current defence minister Prabowo Subianto (left) and Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida shake hands at the prime minister’s office in Tokyo, Japan, on Wednesday. Photo: EPA-EFE

Published: 9:00am, 4 Apr 2024Updated: 9:05am, 4 Apr 2024

This week’s visits by Prabowo Subianto – Indonesia’s president-elect and current defence minister – to China and Japan are being seen as a “major diplomatic coup” that analysts say signal his objectives of strengthening Jakarta’s defensive capacity with the West while maintaining good economic ties with Beijing.

Following a three-day visit to Beijing at the invitation of China’s leader Xi Jinping, Prabowo touched down in Tokyo on Wednesday, where he met Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Defence Minister Minoru Kihara.

Kishida said the visit showed that Prabowo attached “great importance to Japan”, which is a “long-standing” friend of Indonesia.

Indonesian Defence Minister Prabowo Subianto (third from left) receives the guard of honour with Japanese counterpart Minoru Kihara (third from right) at the defence ministry in Tokyo, Japan, on Wednesday. Photo: Pool via AP

“Prime Minister Kishida stated that Japan would contribute to Indonesia’s development through cooperation in such fields as infrastructure development and energy and support Indonesia’s efforts to proceed with the process of its accession to the OECD,” Japan’s ministry of foreign affairs said in a statement released on Wednesday.

“In response, President-elect Prabowo expressed his gratitude for Japan’s assistance to date and his hope to further enhance bilateral cooperation in a broad range of areas including security, agriculture and fisheries as well as disaster prevention,” the statement said.

Prabowo visited China and Japan in his capacity as defence minister.

Indonesia is trying to join the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, a group of 38 member countries, including Japan and the United States, that are typically democratic and support free markets.