Indonesian Hedging: Strategies to Counter a Growing Imbalance in Southeast Asia
Abstract
This monograph argues current American security assistance and security cooperation activities are not effective at countering growing Chinese influence in Indonesia. The geostrategic importance of Indonesia is an integral part of the current Sino-American tensions. Strained Sino-American relations caused each country to implement different strategies over the last decade to win Indonesia's trust: military assistance from the United States and economic incentives from China. Each strategy independently benefits Indonesia. Additionally, Indonesia cannot predict which country will serve as the long-term regional leader in Southeast Asia. This uncertainty resulted in Indonesia adopting its current strategy of hedging, which is common among nations in Southeast Asia. This study analyzes historical and modern American military and Chinese economic interventions in Indonesia. Combining this with analysis of future events, such as the 2019 Indonesian presidential election, provides a unique strategic context. American and Chinese actions and policies will be analyzed through modern international relations theory. This monograph concludes by analyzing the expected return on investment of US security assistance and security cooperation in Indonesia and how to improve it in the future.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 23, 2019
- Accession Number
- AD1083540
Entities
People
- Brian J. Lenzmeier
Organizations
- United States Army Command and General Staff College