Indonesian presidential hopeful Anies Baswedan criticises government for ‘transactional’ foreign policy, pledges a values-based approach if elected

INDONESIA’S NON-ALIGNED FOREIGN POLICY

Indonesia’s foreign policy is non-aligned, which has continued under Mr Widodo’s tenure since 2014. 

It was established in the early 1960s, during the Cold War era between the US and Russia, when Indonesia decided to stay neutral and not take sides as it could put its sovereignty at risk.

It believes by doing so, it can maintain good relationships with every country and have no enemies. 

Thus, when the war in Ukraine broke out, Indonesia also decided not to take sides, reflecting its good relationships with both countries prior to the war. 

When Russia invaded Ukraine in February last year, Mr Widodo tweeted: “Stop the war. War brings misery to mankind and puts the whole world at risk.” The tweet made no reference to who invaded whom. 

Mr Widodo visited Ukraine and Russia four months later, in June, to facilitate dialogues and peace between the two countries. He was the first Asian leader to have visited both countries since the war broke out, but the trip did not end the war.

Five months later, during the Group of 20 (G20) Leaders’ Summit in November, which Indonesia hosted as the rotating president, he reiterated again: “Stop the war. I repeat, stop the war. Lot is at stake.”

However, Mr Widodo did not criticise Russia for invading Ukraine on any occasion.

Nevertheless, Indonesia voted in favour of a United Nations General Assembly resolution last October condemning Russia’s annexation of four Ukrainian territories. 

This decision was made despite having voted to abstain in a UN resolution in April last year. 

At that time, Indonesia decided to abstain in a vote that sought to expel Russia from the UN Human Rights Council due to its invasion of Ukraine. 

The U-turn was made based on the country’s principle of respecting territorial integrity, according to the government. 

In recent years, the effectiveness of Indonesia’s non-aligned stance has been questioned amid the ongoing rivalry between the US and China.

An example is the geopolitical tensions in the South China Sea, which lies on the edge of Indonesia’s North Natuna Sea. 

Chinese fishermen have encroached on Indonesian waters, but Jakarta has largely played down the situation despite experts’ calls to act firmly.