The decline of US soft power in Indonesia has significant implications not just for Washington, but also for Taiwan. As US public diplomacy retreats, particularly with cuts to Voice of America (VOA) and the US Agency for International Development, the space for balanced geopolitical discourse in Indonesia is shrinking. In this vacuum, Chinese narratives — especially regarding Taiwan — are poised to dominate Indonesia’s public perception, reinforcing Beijing’s strategic priorities.
Indonesia has long adhered to a cautious stance on Taiwan, maintaining its “one China” policy while avoiding direct engagement with the Taiwan issue. Despite its democratic values and economic dynamism, Taiwan has struggled to make its voice heard in Indonesia.
This cautious approach is largely driven by Indonesia’s economic dependency on Beijing. Without robust soft-power engagement, Taiwanese perspectives risk being drowned out by Chinese narratives, which are increasingly amplified through state-sponsored media, economic partnerships and religious diplomacy.
For years, VOA Indonesia and Radio Free Asia served as critical channels for democratic discourse, offering alternative perspectives on global affairs, including cross-strait relations. Its shutdown means Indonesian audiences will have fewer sources of balanced information on Taiwan, leaving Chinese state-controlled media, such as Xinhua and CGTN, to shape the narrative unchallenged.
These platforms already have the potential to dominate Indonesian-language news on Taiwan, possibly framing it as an inseparable part of China and downplaying discussions on Taiwan’s democratic achievements or its independent global economic contributions.
China’s strategic engagement with Indonesia extends beyond the media. Through the Belt and Road Initiative, scholarships, and state-backed partnerships with Indonesian think tanks and universities, Beijing has entrenched its influence in key opinion-shaping sectors. By funding research grants, providing technical assistance and inviting Indonesian academics to China, Beijing could reframe Taiwan-related discourse to align with its “one China” stance.
Furthermore, China has actively engaged Indonesia’s powerful Muslim organizations, such as Nahdlatul Ulama and Muhammadiyah, fostering closer ties through scholarships, cultural exchanges and religious diplomacy. Beijing’s efforts to build relationships within Indonesia’s Islamic communities have softened criticism of its domestic policies, including its treatment of Uighur Muslims. This religious engagement strategy could also extend to shaping narratives about Taiwan, potentially framing it as a geopolitical irritant rather than a legitimate political entity with its own governance and aspirations.
Taiwan must strengthen its soft power in Indonesia by expanding media outreach, enhancing academic collaborations and fostering economic ties. Investing in Indonesian-language media and working with independent outlets can provide alternative perspectives on cross-strait relations. Strengthening academic partnerships through scholarships and research funding will help promote Taiwanese perspectives on democracy, technology and innovation.
Cultural and religious diplomacy is also essential. Taiwan can engage with Indonesia’s Muslim organizations through interfaith dialogues and educational initiatives, reinforcing shared values.
Additionally, Taiwan must engage the Indonesian public directly through social media, cultural festivals and people-to-people exchanges. Notably, student exchanges between Indonesia and Taiwan have been strong and should be further reinforced to build long-term mutual understanding.
As the US retreats from its traditional role in shaping public discourse in Indonesia, Taiwan faces an urgent need to amplify its own voice in Indonesia. Without strategic soft-power initiatives, Taiwanese narratives risk being overshadowed by Beijing’s expanding influence.
By proactively investing in media, education, economic ties and cultural diplomacy, Taiwan can carve out a stronger presence in Indonesia, ensuring that its story is not lost in the rising tide of Chinese soft power.
Muhammad Zulfikar Rakhmat is director of the China-
Indonesia Desk at the Center of Economic and Law Studies in Jakarta.
The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has long been expansionist and contemptuous of international law. Under Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平), the CCP regime has become more despotic, coercive and punitive. As part of its strategy to annex Taiwan, Beijing has sought to erase the island democracy’s international identity by bribing countries to sever diplomatic ties with Taipei. One by one, China has peeled away Taiwan’s remaining diplomatic partners, leaving just 12 countries (mostly small developing states) and the Vatican recognizing Taiwan as a sovereign nation. Taiwan’s formal international space has shrunk dramatically. Yet even as Beijing has scored diplomatic successes, its overreach
After more than a year of review, the National Security Bureau on Monday said it has completed a sweeping declassification of political archives from the Martial Law period, transferring the full collection to the National Archives Administration under the National Development Council. The move marks another significant step in Taiwan’s long journey toward transitional justice. The newly opened files span the architecture of authoritarian control: internal security and loyalty investigations, intelligence and counterintelligence operations, exit and entry controls, overseas surveillance of Taiwan independence activists, and case materials related to sedition and rebellion charges. For academics of Taiwan’s White Terror era —
On Feb. 7, the New York Times ran a column by Nicholas Kristof (“What if the valedictorians were America’s cool kids?”) that blindly and lavishly praised education in Taiwan and in Asia more broadly. We are used to this kind of Orientalist admiration for what is, at the end of the day, paradoxically very Anglo-centered. They could have praised Europeans for valuing education, too, but one rarely sees an American praising Europe, right? It immediately made me think of something I have observed. If Taiwanese education looks so wonderful through the eyes of the archetypal expat, gazing from an ivory tower, how
After 37 US lawmakers wrote to express concern over legislators’ stalling of critical budgets, Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜) pledged to make the Executive Yuan’s proposed NT$1.25 trillion (US$39.7 billion) special defense budget a top priority for legislative review. On Tuesday, it was finally listed on the legislator’s plenary agenda for Friday next week. The special defense budget was proposed by President William Lai’s (賴清德) administration in November last year to enhance the nation’s defense capabilities against external threats from China. However, the legislature, dominated by the opposition Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and Taiwan People’s Party (TPP), repeatedly blocked its review. The
RSS