VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

The United States is trying to forge better relations with countries in the Southeast Asian Region. Diplomatic efforts were made through the working visit of the US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken to Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand. The visit, which was the first time since Joe Biden formed his cabinet, was certainly not without purpose.

On Monday, December 13, 2021, Anthony Blinken officially met and held talks with President Joko Widodo at the Merdeka Palace in Jakarta. The next day, Tuesday, December 14, 2021, the US Secretary of State delivered his speech at the University of Indonesia, which is a leading university in Jakarta. Anthony Blinken said that his working visit to Southeast Asia was intended to strengthen cooperation and partnerships to maintain the international rules-based order.

Although he did not explicitly mention it, Blinken's statement is very likely intended to allude to the steps taken by China both in Southeast Asia and in the South China Sea Region.

In a speech in front of the University of Indonesia academic community, the US Secretary of State reiterated his government's determination not to recognize China's claims to parts of the South China Sea.

For China and the United States, the South China Sea is a strategic area, both geopolitically, especially for the Indo-Pacific Region, as well as economically. China views the South China Sea in terms of the strategy of reviving its defense strategy, and the Silk Road through the sea. The United States views the strategic position of the marine area from a defense perspective as well as the position of international trade routes.

Both China and the United States, therefore, are trying to exert their influence through countries that have an interest and still have territorial claims in the waters of the South China Sea.

Regarding the attitude of Southeast Asian countries to the struggle for influence of the two big countries, namely China and the United States, of course it will depend on the foreign policy of each country, especially those who have interests in the South China Sea. It is very possible, with regard to the interests of China and the United States, whether in terms of defense, security or economics, in the future there will still be escalation or an increase in tension in the South China Sea area.

For Indonesia in particular, the attitude and policy of anticipating this, of course, refers to the national interest and territorial sovereignty, as well as the free and active foreign policy that has been adhered to so far.

Indonesian Vice President, Ma'ruf Amin accompanied by Minister of Agriculture, Syahrul Yasin Limpo released the export of 25 plantation commodities and spices from North Sumatra Province to 34 countries. The exports include cardamom, rubber, grated coconut and palm kernel oil. While the export destinations are Germany, Japan, Spain, The United States of America, South Korea and the Netherlands.

The symbolic release of exports was carried out at the opening ceremony of the commemoration of Plantation Day and the Launching of the National Spice Day in the Lake Toba, North Sumatra region last Friday (10/12).

On the occasion, Vice President Ma'ruf Amin said that the export activities in the commemoration of the Plantation Day are a momentum for Indonesia to move forward in order to realize a more resilient agricultural sector in increasing production and export volumes.

He also remarked that it is time for the development of plantation and spice commodities to be developed through increased productivity, production, development of the processing industry and competitiveness. In addition, in the future Indonesia must also export processed materials in a bid to increase the value of the product. Moreover, the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Trade must create various breakthrough steps, including an open international trade system, such as building various infrastructure and supporting facilities for the production, distribution and logistics processes to increase export activities and establish commercial governance that benefits producers and consumers, including improving the welfare of farmers and planters. With this open international trade system, Indonesia can overcome obstacles in the international trade arena.

Meanwhile, Minister of Agriculture, Syahrul Yasin Limpo said that he is optimistic that he could increase production, competitiveness and exports of plantation commodities and spices. This is based on the success of building advanced agriculture. During the Covid-19 pandemic, only the agricultural sector grew positively so that it became the savior of national economic growth.

The commemoration of the 64th Plantation Day along with the Launching of the Determination of the National Spice Day aims to encourage commitment, motivation, creativity and participation of all plantation stakeholders among the government, private sector and the community to play a major role in increasing plantation exports in the economic recovery.

Minister Syahrul Yasin Limpo also emphasized that this is a momentum to raise enthusiasm to triple Indonesia's exports of plantation and spice commodities. Indonesia's rank as a spice producer must increase from the current 10th to 3rd or 2nd largest in the world.

To disseminate information on the latest developments in Indonesia's foreign policy to the Russian public, the Indonesian Embassy in Moscow held the "Indonesia Update" in collaboration with the Foreign Policy Community of Indonesia (FPCI) and the Harvard Club of Russia in Moscow, Russia on Wednesday (8/12).

Ambassador Dr. Dino Patti Djalal was present as the key speaker at the event. He is the founder and President of FPCI. He served as Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs in 2014, the Indonesian Ambassador to the United States for the 2010-2013 period and the Spokesperson for the President of the Republic of Indonesia in 2004-2010. The event was also attended by the President and 12 members of the Harvard Club of Russia.

In his presentation, Dr. Dino Patti Djalal explained various aspects of Indonesia's foreign policy currently facing the challenges of world’s geopolitical shifts, specifically regarding Russia's relations with Indonesia and ASEAN. He also stated that there is still a lot of space that could be worked on. The participants from the Harvard Club of Russia seemed to be enthusiastic to follow the activity. Some of the questions raised include the impact of the US-China competition and Indonesia's policy response, as well as opportunities for Indonesia-Russia cooperation in the energy sector. In addition to being a speaker in the Indonesia Update, Dr. Dino Patti Djalal visited Moscow to be a speaker at the 12th Asian Conference on 7-8 December 2021.While in Moscow, he also met the Deputy Chancellor of the Moscow Institute for International Relations (MGIMO), Dr. Vladimir Morozov and he presented a public lecture which was attended by approximately 30 MGIMO students who study about Indonesia and Southeast Asia.

Indonesian Government has canceled the plan to implement Community Activity Restrictions level 3 during the upcoming Christmas and New Year 2022 holidays.

Even though it was canceled, the Government asked all levels of stakeholders not to be careless in fighting the Covid-19 pandemic, including preventing the entry and spread of the new variant of Covi19, Omicron.

ANTARA News Agency reported that one the one hand, the Government has issued special rules during the Christmas and New Year holiday period through the Instruction of the Minister of Home Affairs regarding the prevention and control of Covid-19.

On the other hand, the government will also tighten health protocols, in collaboration with the police by directly monitoring the implementation of health protocols in tourism objects and public places, including the use of increasingly strengthened pedulilindungi applications.

Like it or not, this government policy must be supported. Because it is  made  solely for the benefit of the community so that it must be fulfilled and obeyed.

The community and all relevant stakeholders should be able to accept this policy. It is hoped that all will have the same frequency, especially in implementing the mobility restriction policy, which will be applied during the  holidays.

As President Joko Widodo hopes, to maintain the currently low level of Covid-19 cases in Indonesia, it is necessary to implement a tightening policy. This is done to prevent an increase in cases after the Christmas and New Year holiday period, as well as to prevent the entry of the new variant,  Omicron.