Indonesia warns of ‘open conflict’ in Indo-Pacific

US sailors recover a high-altitude surveillance balloon off the coast of Myrtle Beach, in the Atlantic Ocean on Feb 5. - AFP This article was published in thejakartapost.com with the title "Indonesia warns of ‘open conflict’ in Indo-Pacific". Click to read: https://www.thejakartapost.com/world/2023/02/14/indonesia-warns-of-open-conflict-in-indo-pacific.html.

JAKARTA (The Jakarta Post/Asia News Network): Indonesia has recently given countries in the Indo-Pacific a stern reminder that the geopolitical rivalry between the United States and China could “very well escalate into open conflict” if not properly managed, underpinning broader concerns that things could turn from bad to worse.

Tensions between Washington and Beijing have been high after a recent balloon incident quashed plans for the leaders of the two superpowers to finally meet in person after a period of cooling ties under pandemic duress.