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A Senior Xi Adviser Visits Indonesia, Bringing Beijing’s Long Game Into Focus

One of China’s highest-ranking political figures, and among President Xi Jinping’s closest ideological advisers, visited Jakarta last week, in a move that underscored Beijing’s deepening interest in its relationship with Indonesia. Wang Huning, one of China’s most influential political ...
What the U.S. Strategy Debate Gets Wrong About China
US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth delivers remarks during the 35th Australia-US Ministerial Consultations (AUSMIN) at the State Department in Washington, DC, on December 8, 2025. Photo by BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI / AFP
By Lukas Fiala Over the last week, all of us have pored over the latest U.S. National Security Strategy. As many have pointed out, one of the most striking developments is the shift towards recognising the Western Hemisphere as a primary theatre for U.S. engagement, ...

Indonesia to Resume U.S. Tariff Talks After Reports Deal at Risk

Indonesia will send a negotiating team to Washington next week to resume tariff talks with the United States. Coordinating Economic Affairs Minister Airlangga Hartarto said Friday The move follows reports that a July trade framework is at risk. Airlangga said ...

China’s $180 Billion Clean Tech Push Reshapes the Global South

Indonesia has become a key test case of China’s clean-energy expansion overseas. A recent report counts about $22.6 billion in Chinese-linked projects have been announced there over the past two years, including EV-parts and solar factories. A flagship ...

BYD Is Third in Indonesia as November Sales Fall

China’s BYD has climbed into Indonesia’s top three car brands by monthly wholesale sales, and top six on yearly sales to date, underscoring how quickly Chinese automakers are gaining ground in a market long led by Japanese rivals. Industry ...

Chinese National Suspect in Indonesia’s Cesium-137 Contamination

Indonesian police have named a Chinese national as a criminal suspect after radioactive material traced to his scrap-metal company contaminated exports and triggered a U.S. import alert on Indonesian shrimp. Police say the man, Lin Jingzhang, runs PT Peter ...

Prabowo Reaffirms One-China Principle in Wang Huning’s Indonesia Visit

China’s top political adviser Wang Huning landed in Jakarta Wednesday to Thursday, aiming to ensure Indonesia remains publicly aligned with Beijing on Taiwan and open to deeper economic cooperation in the years ahead. Two days of meetings delivered pledges and polite applause, but no fresh deals.

Chinese Cross-Border Payments Expand in Southeast Asia

Cross-border payments using QR codes between China and several Southeast Asian countries took a leap forward this week. Chinese travelers to Vietnam, Thailand, and Indonesia can now use cashless QR code-based payments, eliminating the need for currency conversion. The initiative ...

China’s Nickel-Free EV Batteries Hit Indonesia’s Nickel Plan: New Report

China’s shift toward nickel-free EV batteries is complicating Indonesia’s effort to turn its huge nickel reserves into the backbone of a domestic EV industry, according to a new report that says the shift is reshaping one of the world’s most important mineral sectors. ...

Alleged Abuses at Chinese-Invested Nickel Plant Expose Indonesia’s Weak Labor Oversight

Last month, LBH Makassar, a legal-aid organization in eastern Indonesia that represents workers and low-income communities, delivered an open letter to the Chinese Embassy in Jakarta. The letter describes serious labor violations at PT Huadi Nickel Alloy Indonesia, a Chinese-invested nickel smelter operating in Bantaeng, a ...

Navigating the Second China Shock

Like climate change or runaway AI risks, China’s swelling manufacturing capacity is a global challenge faced by middle and high-income economies alike. Trade tensions already dominate EU-China relations, and concerns over China’s manufacturing capacity are rising across the Global South. In ...

China Customs Gap Hints at Iranian Crude Oil Labeled as Indonesian

China is importing much more crude oil declared as Indonesian than Indonesia says it is exporting, customs data from both countries show. Chinese customs figures released this week show 9,81 million metric tons of crude listed as coming from Indonesia ...

Indonesia Turns to China’s Yuan to Cut Reliance on the U.S. Dollar

China’s yuan is taking a larger role in Indonesia’s currency markets, as Bank Indonesia opens new yuan-denominated monetary operations. This new facility aims to reduce reliance on the U.S. dollar. It also aim to support the fast-growing use of local currencies in trade with China.

Indonesia Moves to Rein In Nickel Boom, but Impact Uncertain, Says Chinese Commentator

As demand for electric vehicles surges, Indonesia, the world’s largest source of battery-grade nickel, has become a focal point of global concern. Rapid and often exploitative mining projects, many driven by Chinese investment, have strained local communities and ecosystems. Now, Indonesia decided to restrict new nickel-smelter investments. ...
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