TYLA: Changes in China-Indonesia relations from 2005 to present

Author name:Tran Thu Minh

Thesis title: Those Changes in China-Indonesia relations from 2005 to present

Dissertation field: Oriental studies

Major: Chinese Studies Code: 62 31 06 02

Name of the postgraduate training unit: University of Social Sciences and Humanities - Vietnam National University, Hanoi.

1. Purpose and research objects of the thesis

Research purpose:The thesis analyzes and clarifies the changes in China-Indonesia relations from 2005 to present and the factors leading to the changes. On that basis, it clarifies the nature and impact of China-Indonesia relations since 2005.

Research subjects:changes in China-Indonesia relations.

2. Research methods used

MethodDocuments: Analysis and synthesis methods, Statistical methods, Comparison methods;

Methodexpert interview;

Interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary research methods:The thesis flexibly applies methods such as history, political science...

3. Main results and conclusions

3.1. Main results

- The thesis has identified two milestones of change in China-Indonesia relations since 2005: one, the change after the two countries established a strategic partnership in 2005; two, the change after the two countries upgraded to a comprehensive strategic partnership in 2013. The thesis has analyzed based on factors such as Trends, Major Events, and Major Achievements, finding the causes leading to the change.

- The thesis analyzes the current state of China-Indonesia relations in the fields of politics - security, economy, culture and society through the periods: from 2005-2013, from 2013-present, compared with the period before 2005, assessing the level of bilateral relations based on the criteria in the strategic partnership level measurement table of scholar Gajauskai (2013), thereby assessing the changes in the relations between the two countries, answering the questions: Changes in what fields? Changes in what direction? The nature of each change is gradual or sudden?

- From the factors leading to the change in China - Indonesia relations in each period, the Thesis applies the Asymmetry Theory and the Theory of Middle Powers, analyzes to identify China's policy towards Indonesia and Indonesia's policy towards China with the approach of considering the relationship between the two countries as the relationship between a great power and a middle power. Based on the measurement framework of the "hedging" policy of smaller countries proposed by scholar Kuik (2008), the Thesis compares Indonesia's China policy with the policies of some other countries in the region, and finds out the unique features in Indonesia's policy in dealing with China.

- The thesis has assessed the impact of changes in China - Indonesia relations on the two countries themselves, on other countries in the region, and on Vietnam.

3.2. Conclusion

- After establishing a strategic partnership in 2005, China-Indonesia relations have developed a lot in the previous period, especially in the economic field. However, in the political-security field, cooperation is still modest, the signing of bilateral cooperation documents often takes place in special contexts, when the two countries need support from the other side in regional issues. Bilateral cooperation in the socio-cultural field has not achieved significant results.

- Entering the second decade of the 21st century, in a new context, the two countries upgraded their relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership in 2013. Since 2013, the relationship between the two countries has made many important strides, both in the political and economic fields, because the two countries have many complementary points in their development strategies. However, this strategic partnership is not really sustainable, due to many unresolved issues, such as the trade deficit, maritime security, or the issue of Chinese labor in Indonesia...

- The development of China-Indonesia relations contributes to promoting China-ASEAN relations, encouraging the development of a China-led economic integration trend in the region, while increasing the involvement of major countries in Southeast Asia. Researching China-Indonesia relations is important in understanding China's strategy of increasing influence in Southeast Asia. In addition, understanding how Indonesia responds to China's strategy of increasing influence in the region provides Vietnam with a model of China's "strategic partnership", a model of a weaker country's response, a model of balancing the influence of major countries, etc., helping Vietnam have a clever but firm enough plan in its relations with this giant neighboring country./.

                                                              SUMMARY OF DOCTORAL THESIS

The author's name:Tran Thu Minh

Thesis title: The Evolutions of Sino-Indonesia Relations after 2005

Scientific branch of the thesis: Oriental Studies

Major: Chinese Studies Code: 62 31 06 02

The name of postgraduate training institution: University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University.

1. Thesis purpose and objectives

Thesis purpose: The thesis analyzes and clarifies the evolutions/ changes of Sino-Indonesia relations from 2005 and the factors leading to the changes. On that basis, clarifying the nature and impact of Sino-Indonesia relations after 2005.

Thesis objectives: the evolutions/ changes in Sino-Indonesia relations.

2. Research methods

Document research methods, such as: analysis, synthesis, statistical, comparative methods;

Experts interviews method;

Interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary research methods: The thesis applies methods such as historical methods, political science methods…

3. Major results and conclusions

3.1. The major results

- The thesis has identified two milestones in Sino-Indonesia relations after 2005: firstly, changes after the establishment of Strategic Partnership of the two countries in 2005; secondly, changes after the two countries upgraded to Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2013. In order to discover the causes which led to changes in the relationship, the thesis analyzed based on factors such as Trends, Great Events, and Great Achievements.

- The thesis analyzes and compares the current situation of Sino-Indonesia relations in the fields of politics - security, economy, socio-culture between two periods: 2005-2013 and 2013-present. By assessing the level of bilateral relations based on the criteria of strategic partnerships in Gajauskai's research (2013), the thesis has assessed the changes in bilateral relations, answer below questions: Which fields have changes taken place in? What is the trend of the changes? Is the nature of each change incremental or disruptive?

- The thesis applied Asymmetry Theory and the Theory of Midrange Powers, analyzed to identify China's policies toward Indonesia and Indonesia's policies toward China from a perspective of a relationship between a Great Power and a Middle Power. Based on the measurement framework of the “hedging” policy of smaller countries proposed by Kuik (2008), the thesis compares Indonesia's policies toward China with some other countries' policies toward China, to find out the characteristics of Indonesia's policy in dealing with China.

- The thesis has assessed the impacts of changes in Sino-Indonesia relations on the two countries themselves, on other countries in the region, and on Vietnam.

3.2.Conclusions

- After establishing Strategic Partnership in 2005, Sino-Indonesia relations have evolved in comparison with previous period, especially in the economic field. However, in the field of politics - security, cooperation is still modest, the signing of bilateral cooperation documents often takes place in a specific context, when the two countries need the support of the other in regional issues. Bilateral cooperation in the field of socio-culture has not achieved significant achievements either.

- In the new context of the 21st century, the two countries have upgraded their relations to Comprehensive Strategic Partner in 2013. From then on, the relationship between the two countries has made significant progress in both political and economic fields. However, this Strategic Partnership is not really sustainable, due to many unresolved issues, such as trade labor deficit, maritime security, or Chinese issues in Indonesia...

- The evolutions of Sino-Indonesia relations contribute to the promotion of China-ASEAN relations, encourage the development of a China-led economic integration trend in the region, and increases the intervention of major countries in Southeast Asia. Researching Sino- Indonesia relations is important in understanding the strategy of increasing Chinese influence in Southeast Asia. Besides, exploring how Indonesia responds to China's strategy in the region may provide Vietnam a model of China-style “Strategic Partnership”, a case of smaller countries' responses to a rising China...