INDIAN OCEAN RIM ASSOCIATION (IORA) AS STRATEGIC FACTOR IN SHAPING INDONESIA’S IMAGINED COMMUNITY AS AN ARCHIPELAGIC COUNTRY
This paper aims to analyze the importance of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) in strengthening Indonesian imagined community as archipelagic country. The idea has become more important following the rise of President Joko Widodo, who constantly pursuing maritime-oriented policies. This research will rely on official documents or literature that emphasize the status of Indonesia as an archipelagic country, as well as the international law that legitimizes Indonesia as an archipelagic country, along with historical factors and policies of World Maritime Fulcrum in the current administration. This paper will then reveal Indonesian long hibernation as an archipelagic nation. It is through IORA Indonesia works strongly to implement its imagine community, in line with capacity to bridge the ideas leading to the world maritime fulcrum. The results of this study indicate that there are interconnections surrounding the legitimacy of international law, the historical factors, the ongoing state policy, as well as state involvement in help establishing IORA. All ideas support the Indonesian dream of establishing its own imagined community.
AEGIS : Journal of International Relations; Vol 1, No 2 (2017): March - August 2017
Copyright (c) 2018 AEGIS : Journal of International Relations
THE ROLE OF THIRD PARTY ACTOR IN CONFLICT MEDIATION: A LESSON-LEARNED FROM RWANDA AND ACEH (INDONESIA)
State and non-state actor play crucial roles in solving the conflict within country. On June 2011 through mandate that was given by General Assembly, the 66/811 report was released by United Nations Secretary General on titled “Strengthening the Role of Mediation in the Peaceful Settlement of Disputes, Conflict Prevention and Resolution”. One of fundamental points is the need of inclusiveness in conflict resolution by inviting the non-state actor. Later, the report convinces us on the importance of innovation within mediation by utilizing all actors, whether state or non-state actors. Although, every actor have different capabilities and resources, empowering those actors in dispute settlement process might be the right option. Besides, mediation in which third party involved has to be able to understand nature of the conflict on the ground. Thus, help achieving effective peace process. This writing elaborate the nature conflict and mediation and on how non-state actor play its role through mediation that happened in Rwanda and Aceh (Indonesia).
THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT’S CULTURAL DIPLOMACY THROUGH PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN CONFUCIUS INSTITUTE AND MUSLIM UNIVERSITIES IN INDONESIA
One fact that is very often overlooked is that the ethnic Chinese in Indonesia, often referred to as Chinese Indonesians, play an important part in the diplomatic relations between Indonesia and People’s Republic of China (PRC.) The image that the majority Indonesians, especially the Muslim ones, have about the minority ethnic Chinese in Indonesia helps shape perspectives about PRC. Since the Chinese Indonesians have very often been discredited as pork-eating, ancestors-worshipping (which are deemed haram (forbidden) in Islam), rude, scheming, apolitical, greedy and only care about money, it is not a wonder that if coupled with the image of PRC as a closed country that is stuck in communism, the collective image of the Chinese in general can very well stand in the way of the two countries’ diplomatic relations. To counter this, in 2007 the PRC government through Confucius Institute launched partnerships with several major state and private universities in Indonesia. However, this essay focuses on Confucius Institute’s partnerships with Universitas Al-Azhar Indonesia (Al-Azhar University Indonesia (UAI)) in Jakarta and Universitas Muhammadiyah Malang (Muhammadiyah University Malang (UMM)) in Malang, East Java, as PRC government’s tool to engage Indonesia’s Muslim majority in cultural diplomacy for the success of PRC and Indonesia’s relations.
AEGIS : Journal of International Relations; Vol 1, No 1 (2016): September 2016 - February 2017
Copyright (c) 2016 AEGIS : Journal of International Relations
The Chinatown and The Rise of Ethnical Violence During Pandemic in the US: The Responses of International Cultural and Social Policy
hubungan internasional; social cultural policy; racial discrimination; covid-19
Chinatown is a residential area inhabited by a group of ethnic Chinese. These settlements have been widely spread in various countries since hundreds of years ago and attracted the tourist all over the world. Nevertheless, the emergence of COVID-19 pandemic since 2019 has affected the existence of Chinatown as well as the increase of ethnical violence “Asian hates” in US. The purpose of this research is to analyze the implications COVID-19 toward the Chinatown and the rise of ethnical violence. Hence, the response of international cultural and social policy will be the framework in analyzing the phenomenon. This research uses descriptive-qualitative method that mostly collects secondary data such as books, journals, newspapers, magazines, news portals, articles, official websites, and so on. Through this method, the research found that the COVID-19 has significantly affected the rise of ethnical violence in most of the Chinatown in the US. However, the international cultural and social policy has responded that the COVID-19 is not only affecting the health sector yet also the social and cultural sector. The fact that cultural and social sector are vulnerable in pandemic situation should obtain the attention from various stakeholders including government and their policies. Furthermore, there are alternative strategies – cultural and social policy approach to prevent the increase number of ethnical violence occurred, especially for the future pandemic.
AEGIS : Journal of International Relations; Vol 6, No 2 (2022)
Copyright (c) 2022 AEGIS : Journal of International Relations
Ethnic Chineses in US Chinatowns who experienced racial discrimination
A LESSON LEARNED FROM PIONEER OF GASTRODIPLOMACY: STRATEGIES OF UTILIZING NATION BRAND BY THE COUNTRY OF WHITE ELEPHANTS THROUGH THE GLOBAL THAI CAMPAIGN
International Relations; Diplomacy; Gastrodiplomacy
Thailand; Gastrodiplomacy; Global Thai Campaign; Nation branding
Gastrodiplomasi adalah diplomasi budaya yang menggunakan makanan sebagai sarana untuk meningkatkan kesadaran terhadap merek sebuah negara. Thailand merupakan negara pertama yang memahami tentang bagaimana menggunakan gastrodiplomasi dan kepentingannya. Pada tahun 2002, sebagai bentuk gastrodiplomasi, pemerintah Thailand meluncurkan program kampanye yang dikenal dengan ‘Global Thai Campaign.’ Kampanye ini merupakan salah satu strategi pemerintah Thailand untuk mengubah image negaranya, hal itu karena citra Thailand yang terkenal mempromosikan pekerja seks sebagai wisata di negaranya. Selain itu, kampanye ini bertujuan untuk meningkatkan jumlah restoran Thailand di seluruh dunia serta mengubah pandangan buruk masyarakat internasional terhadap Thailand. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode kualitatif dengan berbagai macam teknik berdasarkan data dari beberapa dokumen dan penulis. Tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah untuk membuktikan adanya upaya national branding oleh pemerintah Thailand melalui praktik gastrodiplomasi sejak tahun 2002 dan menjadi topik utama di dunia internasional sehingga negara-negara lain dapat mengikuti cara yang telah dilakukan Thailand. Teori yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini menggunakan teori gastrodiplomasi dan konsep nation brand. Hasil dari penelitian ini membuktikan bahwa melalui program gastrodiplomacy, pemerintah Thailand dapat menyebarkan restoran-restoran Thailand di berbagai negara dimana secara langsung mempromosikan makanan khas Thailand. Berdasarkan data yang di dapat, kampanye gastrodiplomacy Thailand memiliki pengaruh yang besar terhadap negara lain dalam hal kuliner serta terhadap Thailand sendiri, salah satunya adalah jumlah kunjungan wisatawan asing di Thailand meningkat dengan drastis.
AEGIS : Journal of International Relations; Vol 6, No 1 (2022)
Understanding Xinjiang from a Chinese Nationalist’s Perspective
This paper focuses on the Xinjiang conflict with the central government as one of the conflicts that have sparked the world's attention, especially in western countries. Western media spend their most effort on discussing Vocational Education and Training Centers, political issues, religion, idealism, and human rights in Xinjiang. And then, under the presuppositions of Western-Centrism, the Western media accuses China of violating human rights. However, the Chinese government emphasizes that what happened in Xinjiang is the unrest that has been happening because of the group that wants to separate from China. This paper seeks to explain the real events in Xinjiang, including the problems faced by Xinjiang and the Chinese government, culture, politics, and the psychology behind the western media. Keywords: Western-Centralism, Xinjiang, Uyghur, Islam, Politic
AEGIS : Journal of International Relations; Vol 5, No 1 (2021)
Copyright (c) 2021 AEGIS : Journal of International Relations
The City of Padang Challenges For Paradiplomacy
Paradiplomacy, Small City, Padang, Challenges, Indonesia
International activities of local governments, also known in the literature as paradiplomacy, have significantly increased in the recent years. In Indonesia, local governments are allowed to conduct international relations or city diplomacy in supporting of central government. In doing so, multiple international agreements have been signed by Indonesian local governments, mostly establishing sister city relations. The most active actors on the international stage are big cities, such as Jakarta, Yogyakarta, and Bandung, all situated in Java. This research aims to explore challenges faced by small city, in this case city of Padang in conducting city diplomacy. The authors interviewed public officers in city of Padang and collected secondary data on the topic based on literature study. this article argues that small city has challenges that are not faced by big cities. The study found that small city cannot conduct city diplomacy as well as big cities due to the following factors: lack of awareness of city diplomacy, small number of staff with sufficient knowledge about international relations, and lack of information and idea about the implementation of sister city MoU or action plan and complex bureaucracy procedure in conducting an agreement which potentially less motivate staff in doing paradiplomacy. This article concludes that city of Padang is still working to obtain many agreements in term of sister city while creating many action plans to effectively the agreements.
AEGIS : Journal of International Relations; Vol 4, No 2 (2020)
The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) Loan Projects: Analyzing The People’s Republic of China’s Multilayered Multilateralism Strategy to Turkey (2016-2018)
AIIB; Turkey; China; Multilayered-Multilateralism; BRI
The establishment of Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) was first marked with the proposition made by People’s Republic of China (PRC) President Xi Jinping in 2013. Many since then believes that the establishment of the AIIB is part of PRC’s bigger plan that is the Belt and Road Initiatives (BRI). The significance of Turkey strategic position for the implementation of BRI, it is very crucial for PRC to maintain a steady flow of cooperation with Turkey. Out of 93 members that has joined as a part of AIIB, Turkey stands as the second largest loan receiver by the end of 2018. This article argues that PRC has been using AIIB as part as their BRI plan through its multilayered-multilateralism strategy to Turkey. This article analyze the loan policies that has been made by PRC and AIIB to Turkey from 2016 to 2018
AEGIS : Journal of International Relations; Vol 4, No 1 (2020)
Copyright (c) 2020 AEGIS : Journal of International Relations
CHINA – CAMBODIA RELATIONSHIPS: PHNOM PENH as BEIJING’S PERMANENT CLIENT STATE
The purpose of this paper is to analyze the relationship between Cambodia and People’s Republic of China (PRC)use historical approach and secondary data regarding the topic. Although Cambodia and PRC do not share direct border, their relationship has been flourished since Cambodia gaining their independence from France in 1953 under the regime of Norodom Sihanouk until the administration of Prime Minister Hun Sen. Since then, China has been injecting Cambodia with financial aids, which helping Cambodia to establish its nation. Noting the power gap between two nations that would be complicate the relationships between two. In addition, China with its famous five peaceful coexistence has managed to build closer ties with Cambodia. This paper concluded thatafter the implementation of Belt and Road Initiative(BRI)in 2013, the relationship began to shift from China’s closest friend in Southeast Asia towards something beyond diplomatic ties, which is Cambodia as a permanent client state of PRC and has strong normative background, and the ties itself invites many critics both from regional and international. For instance, during the Disputes of South China Sea and 45th ASEAN annual meeting where Cambodia shown their firm positions in line with China. Cambodia is appeared to show its loyalty to China as a form of payback for years of Chinese financial aids and investment for decades.Keywords:Sino-Khmer ties, BRI, Chinese permanent client, and Development of Cambodia
AEGIS : Journal of International Relations; Vol 3, No 2 (2019): March - August 2019
Copyright (c) 2019 AEGIS : Journal of International Relations
Indonesian Sub-Majors at Chinese Universities and Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)
Since President of China Xi Jinping introduced the mega infrastructure project Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in late 2013, many have doubted the real objective of the president, particularly since world leadership position has been vacant because US President Donald Trump still has no clear foreign policy on Asia Pacific. BRI, which aims to connect China to all continents in the world, has already had negative and positive impacts. One of which is Africa, where China has been helping the Trans-African Highway project, a project that has been planned since 1971. However, BRI has caused African countries’ debts to China to multiply, and it is not impossible that they will experience what Sri Lanka has already experienced: Beijing taking over their Hambantota Port. In Indonesia itself, there have been several BRI projects, such as the 142-km fast train that connects Bandung, West Java, to Jakarta, and Morowali Industrial Park in Central Sulawesi. However, despite BRI’s help with infrastructure many people are suspicious that Indonesia will fall into a “debt trap” like Sri Lanka and African countries already did. They are also worried about the ever-increasing number of Chinese workers to Indonesia, which threaten the availability of jobs for locals. On the other hand, Indonesia’s involvement in BRI shows that Indonesia is an important country to China, and this can be seen through many things, one of which is the growing number of Chinese universities having Indonesian language and culture sub-majors in the past seven years. This essay focuses on how these Indonesian language and culture sub-majors contribute to the success of BRI in China.
AEGIS : Journal of International Relations; Vol 3, No 1 (2018): September 2018 - February 2019