The Limits of Non-Representation: Indonesia–Taiwan Relations under the New Southbound Policy

The Limits of Non-Representation: Indonesia–Taiwan Relations under the New Southbound Policy

With President Tsai Ing-Wen’s adoption of the New Southbound Policy in order to enhance Taiwan’s relations with Indonesia and its other southern neighbors, students from Indonesia studying in Taiwan have doubled as of 2024, and Indonesian workers have also significantly increased. As people-to-people relations have been one of the policy’s main goals, these figures indicate some degree of success. At the same time, relations between the two countries remain limited due to Indonesia’s adherence to the one-China policy, which prohibits official diplomatic relations. This paper examines how Indonesia manages its relations with Taiwan, particularly in relation to citizen protection during the New Southbound Policy. This paper employs qualitative research through an analysis of in-depth interviews with government officials and researchers. It argues that the protection of Indonesia’s citizens has become the country’s focus in its relations with Taiwan and that the mainstreaming of this issue has provided a means to escape the constraints of the one-China policy. However, this paper also finds that rising inter-bureaucratic tensions may be a hindrance to closer and deeper relations.