Publication

This brief discusses how Indonesia's policy regarding the various maritime territory disputes between ASEAN members and China in the South China Sea is becoming increasingly nuanced. The author points out that Jakarta appears to be adopting a two-fold strategy which involves 1) “confidence building” among all the claimant states in the South China Sea and setting the country up as an "honest broker" in resolving the disputes; while at the same time 2) considering defensive measures to anticipate “strategic surprises” in Indonesia's own border areas close to the disputed waters.