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Is Indonesia punching above its weight?
President Joko Widodo has surprised his people, and many others abroad, in showing a keen interest in foreign affairs since taking office in October.
He has attended summits abroad, made presidential visits to major foreign capitals, and hosted a hastily prepared international conference last month. The man whom the foreign media dubbed "the people's president" was a popular figure in these summits, seeming at ease meeting with foreign leaders.
His assertiveness in foreign policy, including sinking foreign fishing boats and executing foreigners on death row for drug trafficking in spite of pleas from their leaders, has upset neighbours and long-time friends.
And he has kept a safe distance from both the United States and China, sending signals that the fourth most populous nation would not easily be swayed to align with one or the other in this century's emerging superpower rivalry.
more: Is Indonesia punching above its weight? - Opinion By Invitation ST Editorial - The Straits Times
President Joko Widodo has surprised his people, and many others abroad, in showing a keen interest in foreign affairs since taking office in October.
He has attended summits abroad, made presidential visits to major foreign capitals, and hosted a hastily prepared international conference last month. The man whom the foreign media dubbed "the people's president" was a popular figure in these summits, seeming at ease meeting with foreign leaders.
His assertiveness in foreign policy, including sinking foreign fishing boats and executing foreigners on death row for drug trafficking in spite of pleas from their leaders, has upset neighbours and long-time friends.
And he has kept a safe distance from both the United States and China, sending signals that the fourth most populous nation would not easily be swayed to align with one or the other in this century's emerging superpower rivalry.
more: Is Indonesia punching above its weight? - Opinion By Invitation ST Editorial - The Straits Times