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 China |  Indonesia |
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| Diplomatic mission | |
| Embassy of China, Jakarta | Embassy of Indonesia, Beijing |
ThePeople's Republic of China (PRC) andIndonesia established diplomatic relations in 1950, and re-established relations in 1990 following a break in 1967. For many centuries, the two regions were largely tied together through informal trade. UnderSukarno’s presidency, relations with China deepened. In the early 1960s, Sukarno embarked on a series of foreign policies under a banner ofanti-imperialism and a personal championing of theNon-Aligned Movement. These developments led to increasing friction with the West and closer relations both with the China and theSoviet Union.
Sukarno'sGuided Democracy relied on two conflicting pillars of support, the military and theCommunist Party of Indonesia (PKI). He favored the latter, which grew to be the largest political party with 3 million members and in August 1965, Sukarno declared his intention to commit Indonesia to an anti-imperialist alliance with China and other communist regimes and warned the military not to interfere.[1]
The military, nationalists, and Muslim groups objected to the prominence of the PKI, fearing the imminent establishment of a communist state in Indonesia and regarded Sukarno's close alliance with China as compromising Indonesia's sovereignty. This culminated in the progressive sidelining and eventual ousting of Sukarno from 1965 till 1967 bySuharto and his supporters, who instigated a prolonged persecution and eventual elimination of the PKI with estimates of killings varying from 500,000 to 1 million.[2][3][4] In 1967, Suharto introduced orders banning Chinese literature, culture and characters, encouraging the abandonment of Chinese names and suspended diplomatic relationships with the PRC, to be restored only in 1990.[5][6]
An important factor in relations is the small, only 3% of the population, but long-established and economically influential Chinese diaspora. This group has been keen to take advantage of trading opportunities with China, which has become Indonesia's biggest trading partner since the signing of the Indonesia-China Strategic Partnership in 2005. Trade flows increased steadily, turning in 2008 into a rising trade deficit for Indonesia. Two-way investment was boosted by PresidentJoko Widodo andCCP general secretaryXi Jinping’s close personal relationship, leading to a surge in investment under China'sBelt and Road Initiative (BRI). Inbound investment fromChina, includingHong Kong, in 2019–2020, ranked second afterSingapore.[7] Both countries are among the largest nations in Asia in terms of both area and population. China is the second-most populous nation in the world, while Indonesia has the 4th largest population.[8]
China has an embassy inJakarta and consulates inSurabaya andMedan, while Indonesia has an embassy inBeijing and consulates inGuangzhou,Shanghai, andHong Kong. Both nations are members of theAPEC,BRICS and theG20.
The relations between imperial China and ancient Indonesia commenced during the 7th century, possibly earlier. Indonesia was part of the maritimeSilk Road connecting China withIndia and theArab world. NumerousChinese ceramics have been discovered throughout Indonesia, suggesting ancient trade links between the two regions. TheNational Museum of Indonesia has one of the most complete collections of Chinese ceramics discovered outside of China, dated from theHan,Tang,Song,Yuan,Ming andQing dynasties, spanning for almost two millennia.[9] This particular collection provides a good insight into Indonesia's maritime trade over the centuries. Research indicates that the Chinese sailed to India via Indonesia as early asWestern Han period (205 BC to 220 AD) as a part of the maritime silk road and firm trade relations were subsequently established.[10] Traditionally, the Indonesian archipelago, identified by ancient Chinese geographer asNanyang, was the source of spices such ascloves,cubeb, andnutmeg, raw materials such assandalwood,gold andtin, as well as exotic rare items such asivory,rhino horn,tiger fur and bone, exotic birds and colorful feathers. While the finesilk and ceramics of China was sought by ancient Indonesian kingdoms. Indonesia also played some role in the expansion ofBuddhism from India to China. A Chinese monk,I-Tsing, visitedSrivijaya in 671 for 6 months during his mission to acquire sacred Buddhist texts from India.[11][12] Other Chinese accounts and chronicles also mention several ancient states in Indonesia today. Chinese records mentioned about Kunlun sailors, presumably Cham or Malays sailors, that sailed and traded many products across ports in Southeast and South Asia. The Malay sailors are most probably hailed from Srivijayan empire in Sumatra. Ancient Indonesian sailors seem to actively sought trade around Southeast Asia and as far as China and India.[13] Since I-Tsing, numbers of Chinese travelers such asChou Ju-kua began to visit and wrote about the Indonesian archipelago.
Most ancient Chinese-Indonesia relations were trade-motivated and throughout their shared history, most were harmonious and peaceful, with one exception. In 1293, Kublai Khan ofYuan dynastysent a massive expedition of 1,000 ships to Java to punish the defiant kingKertanegara ofSinghasari.[14] The naval expedition, however, was a failure as Java rose to beMajapahit empire instead. Maritime empires such asSrivijaya, Majapahit, and laterMalacca sought trade permits to establish relations with lucrative Chinese markets. The numbers of Chinese immigrants and Chinese influences in the archipelago reached a new height, with the massiveMing dynastynaval expedition led by admiralZheng He that visited Java, Sumatra, and the Malay peninsula in early the 15th century. Zheng He's translatorMa Huan wrote a detailed description of Majapahit and where the king of Java lived.[15] The report was composed and collected inYingya Shenglan, which provides a valuable insight on the culture, customs, also various social and economic aspects ofChao-Wa (Java) during Majapahit period.[16] The Chinese naval expedition contributed to the establishment ofoverseas Chinese settlements in Indonesia, such asSemarang,Tuban andRembang which have had significant Chinese populations since Majapahit era.
During the colonialDutch East Indies Company andDutch East Indies era, significant Chinese settlers began to fill labor needs and seek a new life in the Indonesian archipelago. Most ofChinese Indonesian immigrants came from the provinces ofSouthern China, such asFujian andGuangdong. SignificantChinese settlements were established in West Kalimantan, the east coast of Sumatra, and the northern coast of Java. In 1932, China declared that its southernmost territory was the Paracels, not the seas surrounding the Natuna islands.[17][18][19]
After Indonesia's independence in 1945 and the acknowledgement of its sovereignty from theDutch in 1949, Indonesia established diplomatic relations with China (previously withRepublic of China and later withPeople's Republic of China) in 1950.[20] It was the first country in Southeast Asia to establish official diplomatic relations with the PRC.[21] During theSukarno administration, China and Indonesia enjoyed close relations.
In the 1950s to 1960s theChinese Communist Party had close relations with theirIndonesian counterparts. Sukarno supported and won the bid for the1962 Asian Games held inJakarta. Political tensions arose when Indonesia refused entry to a delegation fromTaiwan. After theInternational Olympic Committee imposed sanctions on Indonesia for this exclusionary policy, due to Indonesia's firm support for theOne China policy. Sukarno retaliated by organizing a "non-imperialist" competitor event to theOlympic Games, called theGames of New Emerging Forces (GANEFO). Sukarno responded by accusing the IOC of being political in its refusal to accept the People's Republic of China; The IOC was merely an "imperialist and colonialist tool."[22]
In January 1965, Sukarno,withdrew Indonesia from the United Nations after accusations that it was "dominated by imperialism." He attempted to establish a rival UN organization called the Conference of New Emerging Powers (CONEFO) with the support of the People's Republic of China, which was not yet a member of the UN,[23] and he formed a new alliance of Indonesia with the new emergent forces (NEFO) countries with China, North Korea, North Vietnam, and Cambodia which he called the "Beijing-Pyongyang-Hanoi-Phnom Penh-Jakarta Axis." With the government heavily indebted to theSoviet Union, Indonesia became increasingly dependent on China for support.[24] Sukarno spoke increasingly of a Beijing-Jakarta axis.[24] Sukarno increasingly spoke of a Beijing-Jakarta axis.[24] However, after an unsuccessfulcoup attempt in 1965 resulted in the fall of Sukarno andthe consolidation of power by right-wing military general Suharto, Indonesia severed diplomatic relations, maintaining that Communist China was partly responsible for the coup attempt.[25] Diplomatic relations however, were restored and resumed in 1990, resulting in the normalization of China-Indonesia ties.
China and Indonesia established diplomatic relations on April 13, 1950, which were suspended on October 30, 1967, due to the occurrence of theSeptember 30 event of 1965, the subsequent 1967seizure of power by Lt. GeneralSuharto which appointed him to the office of acting president, the stepping down of PresidentSukarno and the eventual beginning of theNew Order era, which, under Suharto's presidency, would last thirty-two years.[citation needed]
Bilateral relations have improved since the 1980s. Foreign MinisterQian Qichen of China met with President Suharto and State Minister Moerdiono of Indonesia in 1989 to discuss the resumption of diplomatic relations of the two countries. In December 1989, the two sides held talks on the technical issues regarding the normalization of bilateral relations and signed the Minutes. Foreign MinisterAli Alatas of Indonesia visited China on invitation on 3 July 1990 and the two sides issued the "Communiqué on the Restoration of Diplomatic Relations between the Two Countries".[26] Between 1990 and 1997, China published three volumes of its ancient maps, showing the traditional territory of any Chinese dynasty has always been limited to the main island of Hainan, not the waters of Indonesia's Natuna islands.[27][28]
PremierLi Peng visited Indonesia on invitation on August 6, 1990. In his talks with President Suharto, the two sides expressed their willingness to improve relations between the two countries on the basis of theFive Principles of Peaceful Co-Existence and the Ten Principles of the Bandung Conference. On 8 August, Foreign Ministers of China and Indonesia on behalf of their respective governments, signed the Memorandum of Understanding on the Resumption of Diplomatic Relations. The two sides declared the formal resumption of the diplomatic relations between China and Indonesia that day.[citation needed]
China's cautious response to the1998 anti-Chinese riots caused an uproar among human rights groups. Following protests at the Indonesian embassy in Beijing in August,Foreign MinisterTang Jiaxuan made a direct appeal to the Indonesian government to ensure the protection of Chinese Indonesian communities.[29]
In July 2012, Indonesia and China conducted a bilateral antiterrorism exercise.[30]: 161
In September 2017, two giant pandas, Cai Tao and Hu Chun, arrived inJakarta fromSichuan province to be placed inTaman Safari inBogor as part of the 60th anniversary celebrations of China–Indonesia bilateral relations.[31]
Indonesia follows theone China principle, and recognizesgovernment of the People's Republic of China as the sole legal government representing the whole of China and Taiwan as "an inalienable part" of China. Indonesia also supports all efforts by the PRC to "achievenational reunification", considers issues related toXinjiang andTibet as internal affairs of China and "firmly supports China’s efforts to maintain development and stability" in Xinjiang and Tibet.[32]
In December 2018, the issue of China'shuman rights abuses against the Uyghur minority was brought up in parliament. Indonesian Vice PresidentJusuf Kalla said: "we don't want to intervene in the domestic affairs of another country."[33] In November 2021, the Chinese embassy in Jakarta presented testimonies from Uyghur government and community representatives inXinjiang as well as those fromNahdlatul Ulama to counter Western allegations of abuse.[34] China has also granted scholarships forsantri to study in the country, leading some of them to issue defenses of its Xinjiang policy in Indonesian media.[35]
China and Indonesia are both parties to China-ASEAN free trade agreement and are both parties to theRegional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).[36]: 15 As of 2025, China and Indonesia do not have a bilateral free trade agreement.[36]: 15
Trade between China and Indonesia is on the rise, especially after the implementation ofACFTA since early 2010. Indeed, while in 2003 trade between Indonesia and China reached only US$3.8 billion, in 2010 it multiplied almost 10 times and reached US$36.1 billion.[37] China'stransformation into the fastest growing country in the 21st century has led to an increase of foreign investments in thebamboo network, a network ofoverseas Chinese businesses operating in the markets of Southeast Asia that share common family and cultural ties.[38][39]
China has remained on top of Indonesia's key major trading partners, serving as the country's largest export and import market. China serves as Indonesia's largest export destination after overtaking Japan and United States, reaching US$16.8 billion.[40][41][42] China is also Indonesia's most important source of imports, reaching US$30.8 billion, or 22.7% of Indonesian imports in 2016.[43] The balance however was in favour of China as Indonesia booked a trade deficit of US$14 billion in 2016.[44]
In Indonesia, Chinese companies invest in sectors including mining, hydropower, solar panel production, electric vehicle batteries, and industrial silicon.[45]: 106 As of 2025, Chinese investment in Indonesia is predominantly mining-related.[36]: 15 Illegal mining operations by the Chinese have contributed to pollution in Indonesia.[46] A number of BRI agreements between the two countries encourage Chinese investment in Indonesia's mining and downstream industries with preferential financing for such ventures.[36]: 18
From China's perspective, since 2010 ASEAN as a whole has become its fourth-largest trading partner after the European Union, Japan and the United States. Among ASEAN member countries, Indonesia was China's fourth-largest trading partner, which, according to data as of May 2010 from the Ministry of Commerce of the People's Republic of China, amounted to US$12.4 billion, afterMalaysia (US$22.2 billion),Singapore (US$17.9 billion) andThailand (US$15.7 billion).[37]
In April 2011, Indonesia and China signed amemorandum of understanding on the development of industrial technology and Chinese investment in related sectors in Indonesia.[30]: 160
Being the second-largestdonor offoreign aid to Indonesia after Singapore, China has also financed and developed multiple infrastructure projects in the country to create more growth in its economy, particularly in the utility, transportation, industry and tourism, with surging inflows of aid in recent years.[47]
On late September 2015, Indonesia awarded a multibillion-dollar Jakarta-Bandunghigh-speed railway project to China.[48][49][50] It was said that China's offer to build the Jakarta-Bandung line without requiring loan guarantee nor funding from Indonesia was the tipping point of Jakarta's decision.[51][52] The Jakarta-Bandung high-speed rail was planned to begin its operations to public in 2019.[53] However, the project was stalled for several years due to land acquisition problem and ensuingCOVID-19 pandemic. Jakarta-Bandung High-speed rail was officially opened its service on 2 October 2023.[54]
In late 2021, the president of Indonesia Jokowi Widodo broke ground on a $132 billion U.S. "green" industrial estate to be constructed on Borneo with investments from China and the United Arab Emirates and electrified by a hydropower plant funded by China.[55]
In 2024, Indonesia imposed tariffs of up to 200 percent on a range of Chinese goods.[56] In 2024, The Financial Times reported that Indonesia is attempting to decrease Chinese investment in new nickel mining and processing projects. This strategy aims to help Indonesia's industry become eligible for tax incentives in the United States, aligning with the Biden administration's efforts to limit Beijing's impact on the electric vehicle supply chain. The Indonesian government and industry stakeholders are restructuring nickel investment deals to position Chinese companies as minority shareholders.[57]
On May 25, 2025, ChinesePremierLi Qiang met withPresidentPrabowo Subianto to discuss expanding trade relations amid a divisive global market and themass installation of tariffs against foreign nations by theUnited States underPresidentDonald Trump.[58] The visit in Jakarta, which included 60 prominent Chinese businessmen, was noted by Premier Li as occurring in the same year as the 70th anniversary of the founding of theNon-Aligned Movement.[58] At the talks, Premier Li encouraged Chinese investment in the Indonesian market.[58]
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Since ancient times,Indonesian culture has absorbed many elements ofChinese culture, includingChinese loanwords that relate to a variety of topics, includingcuisine, and art, seen through the JavaneseBatik Pesisiran (coastal batik), which depicts Chinese images such as the cloud,phoenix,dragon, qilin, topeony flower.[clarification needed]Chinese people began to settle in Indonesian coastal cities as early asSrivijaya (c. 7th century) andMajapahit (c. 14th century) period. And later accelerated duringDutch East Indies Company era (c. 17th century). Chinese immigrants brought with them Chinese culture of their homeland, intermarrying with local women and creating a hybridperanakan culture, still observable today in some of Indonesian cities and in neighboringMalaysia andSingapore. Today, there are around 2,832,510Chinese Indonesians, according to the 2010 census, forming 1.2% of the Indonesian population.
In 2013,Xi Jinping visited Indonesia and gave a speech to the Indonesian Parliament, announcing the signing of a comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries and the establishment of theAsian Infrastructure Investment Bank.[59]: 47 Xi also announced theBelt and Road Initiative's maritime element.[59]: 47
From November 8 to 11, 2014, newly elected Indonesian PresidentJoko Widodo paid his first official overseas visit to China to attend theAPEC summit in Beijing. He paid a bilateral meeting with Xi and Chinese premierLi Keqiang.[60] Most recently in April 2015, Chinese leader Xi Jinping visitedBandung to commemorate the 60th anniversary of theAsian-African Conference, and Joko Widodo visitedBeijing to attend theBelt and Road Forum from May 14 to 15, 2017.[61][needs update]
Tiongkok (中国) is theIndonesianterm for China, originating from theMin Nan (the local dialect of SouthernFujian) version of the wordZhongguo (中国), which is the term used to refer to China inMandarin. The word—in its romanized form (Tiongkok)—was used inIndonesian by theIndonesian government to refer toChina up until 1972,[62] but its use ceased following a period of hostile relations in the 1960s. The authoritarian, anti-ChineseNew Order government mandated the replacement of the termTiongkok, as well asTionghoa (中华), with"Cina". ManyChinese Indonesians felt that the term (in reference to them) was derogatory and racist, connoting "backwardness, humiliation, queues and bound feet".[63] After the fall ofPresidentSuharto in 1998, the use ofTiongkok has seen a re-emergence.[64]
On 14 March 2014, Indonesian PresidentSusilo Bambang Yudhoyono signed Presidential Decree (Keputusan Presiden) No. 12/2014 to change the legal use of the Indonesian-language term to refer to China. Changes included replacing the termCina orChina toTiongkok to refer to China as a country, andTionghoa to refer to Chinese people, or Chinese descents. This change was meant to eradicate discrimination and prejudice towards Chinese Indonesians.[65]
Despite Indonesia's position as a non-claimant state in the South China Sea dispute,[66] two countries were inevitably involved in this territorial dispute; as parts of China'sunilaterally claimednine-dash line is intersecting with Indonesia'sexclusive economic zone nearNatuna islands.[67]
In 1932, China sent aNote Verbale to France, declaring that China's southernmost territory was the Paracels for the first time.[68][69][70] In 1943, China again reiterated through its government-published book, China Handbook (1937–1943), that its southernmost territory was the Paracels, specifically Triton Island.[71] In 1947, China revised its Handbook, stating that its southernmost territory was the Spratlys. In its revised 1947 Handbook and acknowledging that other states have claims to the Spratleys.[72] During the same year, it began using a map with a dash-line to claim almost the entire sea, including the waters of the Natuna islands.[73][page needed]
In March 2016, the two countries were involved in confrontation near Natuna Islands as Indonesian maritime authority that tried to capture a Chinese trawler accused forillegal fishing was prevented by Chinese coast guard.[74] Indonesia insists to prosecute Chinese trawler crew, despite Beijing's demand to release them. An Indonesian official said that the "traditional fishing grounds" was not recognised under the UNCLOS. This incident prompted Indonesian military to increase its presence in Natuna area.[75] On 23 June 2016, Indonesian PresidentJoko Widodo visited Natuna islands on a warship, this was meant to send a "clear message" that Indonesia was "very serious in its effort to protect its sovereignty".[76]
Following thePermanent Court of Arbitration ruling on 12 July 2016, Indonesia called on all parties involved in the territorial dispute to exercise self-restraint and to respectapplicable international laws.[77] The international ruling invalidated the dash-line utilized by China to claim the waters of the Natuna islands.[78][79] Of the 556 vessels Indonesia had destroyed from October 2014 to 2019 for violating rules, 3 were from China while 9 other Chinese vessels escaped Indonesian custody. The amount of Chinese vessels destroyed was relatively small compared to vessels from countries like Vietnam (312), Philippines (91), and Malaysia (87).[80]
In late 2019, China intensified its military activity in the waters of Indonesia's Natuna islands, which China claims as its territory.[81] In January 2020, Chinese fishing boats, escorted by Chinese coast guard vessels, once again conducted fishing off the coast of northern islands of Natuna in waters claimed by Indonesia as itsexclusive economic zone (EEZ).[82] This led to a stand-off between the countries and Indonesia's decision to send its fishermen to join warships in the area to help defend against Chinese vessels.[83] Indonesia had deployed twoKapitan Pattimura-class anti-submarine corvettes at Great Natuna Island in early January, and later added oneMartadinata-class guided-missile frigate, twoBung Tomo-class corvettes, oneAhmed Yani-class frigate, oneMakassar-class landing platform dock (LPD), oneCakra-class diesel submarine and fourF-16C/D fighter jets to the deployment even when China vessels appeared to have backed down from the region.[84] Indonesia responded by invoking theSouth China Sea Arbitration ruling.[85]
In December 2021, China demanded Indonesia to stop its oil exploration activities in the waters of the Natuna islands, which China claims on the basis of the nine-dash line.[86] China sentcoast guard vessels to the area.[87][88] Indonesia responded by deploying its navy to the area and completed its exploratory drilling.[89] In October 2024, China sent its coast guard to an area where Indonesia was conducting exploratory drilling.[90] Indonesia's navy deployed to protect the drilling, which was completed.[89]
During a November 2024 state visit by Indonesian PresidentProbowo Subianto to China, Indonesia and China signed a memorandum of understanding for "joint maritime development" in the area of the two countries "overlapping claims" near the Natuna Islands.[91] Indonesia's Foreign Ministry subsequently issued a statement that the memorandum did not impact Indonesia's sovereignty or rights in the area and stating that in Indonesia's view the Chinese claims do not have a legal basis.[92][91] Critics of the memorandum quoted byVoice of America andSouth China Morning Post contended that the wording could support China's position regarding the South China Sea claims.[92][91]
According to a 2014 BBC World Service Poll, 52% of Indonesians expressed a mainly positive view of China compared to 28% expressing a mainly negative view.[93] A Pew Research Center poll in 2019 found that 36% of Indonesians expressed a favourable view of China while 36% expressed an unfavourable view.[94][95] According to a December 2021 survey from the AustralianLowy Institute think tank, Indonesians were becoming increasingly wary of China and Chinese investments, with six in 10 of the 3,000 respondents agreeing that Jakarta should join with other nations to limit Beijing's rise. Only 43% of Indonesians polled said they feltChina’s growth was good for Indonesia – down from 54% in 2011.[96][97] According to aMorning Consult poll conducted in July 2022, 46% of Indonesians viewed China favourably while 18% viewed the country unfavourably.[98]
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