Fresh ties: President Xi Jinping and Prabowo shake hands at the Great Hall of the People when he visited Beijing in April. — Reuters
THE US-China rivalry, as manifested in the trade war and heightened tensions in the South China Sea, has far-reaching impacts, from economic to security sectors. Since Indonesia is one of the affected countries, it is important to understand where Indonesia stands amid the great powers’ rivalry.
Concerns over the use of nuclear weapons in South-East Asia cannot be underestimated. The formation of the trilateral security pact among Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States (Aukus) allows nuclear-armed submarines to pass through the South China Sea, thus increasing regional tensions. The potential for open military conflict between the two great powers in the region is a primary concern.
