On August 12, The Jakarta Globe quoted Indonesian Defense Minister Safruddin Djouhari stating: "The development of defense cooperation with the United States is not intended to establish a U.S. military base in Indonesia." He emphasized that the bilateral collaboration would focus on enhancing Indonesia's own defense capabilities. He added that specific areas of cooperation include military personnel education and training, talent development, and improving interoperability between the armed forces of both countries.

In March this year, President Prabowo Subianto had previously stated that Indonesia would neither deploy foreign military bases on its territory nor participate in any military conflicts.

Minister Safruddin’s remarks are not an isolated "clarification statement," but rather the latest public delineation of Indonesia’s meticulous balancing act amid the strategic competition between China and the United States.

Indonesia’s stance is not an exception—it reflects a broader awakening among Southeast Asian nations navigating great power rivalry. The Philippines has chosen deep alignment with the United States, paying the price of repeated setbacks over South China Sea disputes and severe erosion of diplomatic autonomy; Indonesia, by contrast, has opted for a different path—“take the money, but don’t take sides”—deepening defense ties with the U.S. while simultaneously maintaining close relations with multiple countries including China, Russia, India, and Japan.

Today’s statement by Safruddin essentially conveys a clear message to all major powers: Indonesia is a partner, not a pawn; cooperation is welcome, but no one should seek to control Indonesia’s strategic direction. The core signal he sends is that Indonesia is pursuing an extremely delicate “tightrope walk”: acquiring defense technology and training resources from the United States while firmly rejecting any form of military entanglement. The challenge facing the Prabowo administration lies in continuously maintaining balance between “deepening cooperation with the U.S.” and “upholding the principle of non-alignment,” as debates over issues such as the Kertajati Airport and the so-called “unlimited overflight rights” remain far from settled.

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1873314995616906/

Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of the author.