The Worrying Side of China’s Rise to Superpower

Wimar Witoelar & Mahisa Dwi Prastowo
August 24, 2020 | 10:55 am
SHARE
An Indonesian military officer shows footage of an encounter between an Indonesian warship and a Chinese Coast Guard ship on the Natuna Sea during a briefing aboard the Air Force’s Boeing 737 surveillance plane on April 1, 2020. (Antara Photo/M Risyal Hidayat)
An Indonesian military officer shows footage of an encounter between an Indonesian warship and a Chinese Coast Guard ship on the Natuna Sea during a briefing aboard the Air Force’s Boeing 737 surveillance plane on April 1, 2020. (Antara Photo/M Risyal Hidayat)

China, a single name with so many meanings attached to it. For the rest of the world in 1989, right after the Tiananmen Incident, the name stood for a ruthless authoritarian government willing to brutally murder many innocent protesters to maintain the power of its elites. A truly despicable sight to behold. 

Decades have passed since then. Politicians come and go in China and the rest of the world. Now we see China as a country with unparalleled economic growth. The world today sees China as a superpower candidate in the 21st century to rival the United States. Some (Donald Trump and his supporters come to mind) despise the fact but others are willing to accept the new reality and even pleased to see a new balance of power rather than the sole hegemonic power of the US.

The human rights records of the current Chinese government aren’t the best in the world, but neither are those of many current global leaders such as Donald Trump of the United States, Kim Jong-un of North Korea, Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel, Vladimir Putin of Russia, Rodrigo Duterte of the Philippines -- to name just of few of them. Even the Hong Kong protesters who are vehemently against the Chinese government probably wouldn’t compare the current elites in Beijing with those in power during the Tiananmen tragedy.

So what about Indonesia? Unfortunately China is a target of hatred for all the wrong reasons by some of my countrymen. Some think that China is trying to silently infiltrate our country borders to spread communism. The ruling party in China is indeed the Communist Party, but spreading the ideology to anywhere is hardly something they are interested in. 

Advertisement

If anything, they even seem to be trying to spread capitalism in the world through Chinese global companies such as Alibaba, Xiao Mi, Tencent, and many more. This of course would benefit them by pilling more dollars into their national bank accounts.

No, I don’t want to defend the Chinese government here. China is definitely not an innocent and harmless country. But we have to see it through the right perspective. As soon-to-be superpower, China seems to be not so different from other superpower nations of the past. The Romans at their peak invaded and enslaved many nations. The British Empire didn’t seem to care much about enslaving but invaded even more nations. The current superpower, i.e. the United States, is a lot more civilized by not blatantly invading nations. But let’s not forget who destabilized the Middle East with its military invasion which eventually led to the rise of global terror network the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).

Now China is starting to bare its fangs as a global political power. The case is apparent in the current South China Sea dispute. A conflict broke out as many have long expected. It involved seven nations, all with substantial navies and covered the area of the South China Sea. With seven countries, each with substantial firearms, it was a wonder that all escaped without heavy penalties. Sure there was a Malaysian battleship attack on a Vietnamese fisherman ship which resulted in one Vietnamese fisherman getting killed. But outside of that incident, it was mostly tension and loud words.

It all started out with China’s ambition in gaining more control in the region. According to the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative, since 2013 the Chinese government has been building artificial islands in the region. The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development estimates that the value of global trade through the South China Sea reached US$3.37 trillion or one-third of the global figure. Surely the two facts aren’t just coincidence. 

Even the always calm and composed Japanese have started to speak out on the matter. Japanese Defense Minister Taro Kono said in a recent exclusive interview with CNN that China is deliberately trying to change the status quo in the South China Sea. They are creating hundreds of miles of a string of highly fortified artificial islands across the South China Sea. China’s action risks provoking a stern response from the international community and “needs to be forced to pay a high cost”. 

Such a strong message has been rarely heard from Japan before. However, it is completely understandable considering Chinese actions in the region in the last decade.

Indonesia has been a good neighbor to its fellow Asian countries. Our relations with them have been relatively positive, but now it is time for our government to take a firmer stance in the dispute. Like Japan, we need to be stricter against China’s shady tactics, but not in a militaristic way. Diplomacy should always take precedence. We are not the only one against the Chinese in this territorial dispute. We need to band together with neighbors sharing the same interest in this regional issue. I’m sure our President who has shown high level of political fluency in the recent years can be the main character in resolving the dispute.

----

Wimar Witoelar is the founder of InterMatrix Communications and was the spokesperson for the late President Abdurrahman Wahid in 1999-2001. Mahisa Dwi Prastowo is a consultant at InterMatrix Communications.

The views expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Jakarta Globe.


 

Tags: Keywords:
SHARE

Related Articles


News Apr 29, 2025 | 8:27 pm

Japan, Philippines Launch Defense Pact Talks to Counter China’s Aggression

Japan and the Philippines begin talks on two defense pacts, signaling deeper security ties in response to China’s growing assertiveness.
News Mar 15, 2025 | 11:12 pm

'Filled With Arrogance': China Lashes Out at G7 over Statements on Maritime Security

China claims virtually the entire South China Sea, through which it passes around $5 trillion in global trade.
News Mar 10, 2025 | 8:33 pm

Indonesia to Ratify Exclusive Economic Zone Deal with Vietnam in April

Prabowo says that he plans on signing the implementing agreement on this exclusive economic zone during his upcoming visit to Vietnam.
News Mar 5, 2025 | 11:42 pm

Philippines Warns Allies Will Fight If China Restricts Flights over South China Sea

Last month, a Chinese navy helicopter flew within 10 feet (3 meters) of a Philippine patrol turbo-prop plane.
News Jan 23, 2025 | 6:15 pm

Marco Rubio, Sugiono Talk about South China Sea over Phone

Foreign Affairs Minister Sugiono and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio exchanged views on maritime security in the South China Sea.
News Jan 14, 2025 | 7:58 am

Expect More Surprises from ‘Foreign Policy President’ Prabowo, Analyst Says

All stakeholders need to brace themselves for the consequences that may arise from Prabowo's foreign diplomacy surprises, Prabowo says.
News Dec 23, 2024 | 9:21 pm

China Says Philippine Plan to Deploy Midrange Missiles Would Be 'Extremely Irresponsible'

China has criticized the Philippines’ plan to deploy midrange missiles, calling it a provocative move that could escalate regional tensions

The Latest


Business 46 minutes ago

Indonesia Plans 2,000-Ton Monthly Rice Exports to Malaysia

Indonesia’s potential to export rice stems from its abundant reserves, now nearly 4 million tons, managed by the State Logistics Agency.
News 1 hours ago

Barcelona Clinches Its 28th La Liga Title as Yamal's Stunning Strike Seals Domestic Treble

It completed a domestic double with the Copa del Rey title -- treble if you add the Spanish Super Cup.
News 2 hours ago

Rebels Kill Two Police Officers in Papua Motorcycle Ambush

Police blamed the ambush on a separatist group led by Ternus Enumbi, who is believed to be affiliated with the Free Papua Movement (OPM).
Business 2 hours ago

Other than Indorama’s $2 Billion Deal, Indonesia Lacks Appetite in US Investment

Purwakarta-based company Indorama plans to invest $2 billion in a blue ammonia project in Louisiana.
Lifestyle 11 hours ago

Chris Brown Arrested in UK for Alleged Attack at London Club in 2023

Brown was on a UK tour at the time of the incident. He is scheduled to tour the UK in June and July.
COPYRIGHT © 2025 JAKARTA GLOBE. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED