The strategic environment in Indonesia today is increasingly complex, with the issue of great power rivalry and the breakdown of the multilateralism norm. The issue of economic coercion has become part and parcel of statecraft. The post-Suharto re-interpretation of bebas-aktif must be able to respond to the world that is filled with pressure, competition, and selectivity of the great powers. ASEAN, as the focus of Indonesia’s foreign policy, is in disarray. Indonesia can no longer afford to be ambiguous in its strategic choice; a lack of national resilience is detrimental to our interests. It is time for Indonesia to have a confident foreign policy.

The world is more interconnected than ever, but less secure. The rivalry between the United States and China is growing in new areas, including trade, technology, defence, and values, which are increasingly shaping Asian countries’ political choices. The latest round of bloodlust in the Middle East threatens oil supplies and shipping lanes once again. The crisis in Ukraine continues to undermine security in Europe, and by cutting off grain shipments to some of the world’s most vulnerable populations, it has halted that crucial flow. Simultaneously, an arc of escalation is unfolding across the South China Sea, from Taiwan in the north to the Maldives in the south, as actions by mainland Chinese, Chinese naval assets, and paramilitary marine organisations continue to prompt alarm and anger........

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