Indonesia’s Strategic Narrative on the New Dynamics of Great Power Rivalry in the Indo-Pacific

Budi Riyanto; Darmansjah Djumala; Youzhi Tan

doi:10.21512/jas.v11i1.9406

Authors

Budi Riyanto Department of Communication, Faculty of Communication, LSPR Institute of Communication and Business, Indonesia
Darmansjah Djumala International Relations Department, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Universitas Padjadjaran, Indonesia
Youzhi Tan Department of International Political Economy, School of International Relations, University of International Business and Economics (UIBE), China

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.21512/jas.v11i1.9406

Keywords:

foreign policy, Global Maritime Fulcrum, Indonesia, Indo-Pacific, strategic narrative

Abstract

Given the rising political tensions between the two great powers, the United States (U.S.) and the People's Republic of China (PRC), a geopolitical shift to the Indo-Pacific region is critical momment in the 21st century. Ideological, economic, military and technological aspects of this new struggle appear to be sharpening. In the current geopolitical change in the Indo-Pacific, two concerns that have not received much attention are addressed in the research, namely the importance of strategic narrative competition in the global information era and the part played by Indonesia in terms of its strategic narratives as a nation in the center of Indo-Pacific geopolitics. By focusing on the interaction of each actor in projecting a story about the order in the new world system, encouraging actors to adapt to their identities and roles in the story, and enacting policies that are in line with their interests, strategic narrative studies have the potential to explore geopolitical issues more thoroughly. Indonesia positions itself actively in a strategic narrative construction that can compete, and create a strategic role that can be played in accordance with its interests rather than playing a passive role and only becoming a victim in the face of the strategic narrative contestation among the great powers. The strategic narrative of Indonesia as it relates to identity, policy, and system is specifically examined in the research. It also examines the role that Indonesia plays in the formulation and projection of the narratives, as well as how the narratives are received in the context of the emerging Indo-Pacific's geopolitical struggle. As a middle power, Indonesia offers a shared strategic narrative that promotes a goal of greater cooperation, hence reducing great power rivalry.

Dimensions

Plum Analytics

Author Biographies

Budi Riyanto, Department of Communication, Faculty of Communication, LSPR Institute of Communication and Business, Indonesia

Budi Riyanto is a lecturer of International Relations studies at the Department of Communication, Faculty of Communication, LSPR Institute of Communication and Business, Jakarta. He is currently pursuing a Ph.D. program in International Relations at the University of International Business and Economics (UIBE) in Beijing and has been awarded the ASEAN-China Young Leaders Scholarship (ACYLS) 2022. His research interest among others is in the communication aspect of International Relations, including public diplomacy, nation branding, soft power, strategic narratives, and digital diplomacy.

Darmansjah Djumala, International Relations Department, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Universitas Padjadjaran, Indonesia

Darmansjah Djumala is a doctoral program lecturer in International Relations at the
Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (FISIP) Universitas Padjadjaran (Unpad), Bandung. He is
currently a member of Expert Council for Foreign Relations Strategy at the Pancasila Ideology
Development Agency (BPIP). He was Ambassador of Indonesia to Austria, Slovenia and to the
United Nations in Vienna, prior to which he was Ambassador of Indonesia to Poland. His
research interest is related to Indonesian Diplomacy and Foreign Policy, and International
Organizations.

Youzhi Tan, Department of International Political Economy, School of International Relations, University of International Business and Economics (UIBE), China

Youzhi Tan is Professor of International Relations at the University of International
Business and Economics (UIBE), Beijing. Vice Dean of the Institute of National Security and
Governance, UIBE. He graduated his PhD at Peking University in 2008. He takes a special
interest in Cyberspace Governance, Public Diplomacy, Non-traditional Security and
International Political Economy.

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