China’s Vaccine Diplomacy in Indonesia: Problems and Prospects
REGIONAL SOCIAL AND CULTURAL STUDIES PROGRAMME WEBINAR
About the Webinar
As the cooperation on vaccine development, procurement, and production has intensified exchanges between Jakarta and Beijing, the Covid-19 pandemic has arguably added a new dimension in Indonesia-China bilateral relations. Beijing has even continued offering Indonesia with opportunities to further expand their cooperation. In March 2021, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi affirms China’s readily supported Indonesia in becoming a hub of vaccine production for Southeast Asia. In this regard, the pandemic might further facilitate Jakarta’s closer ties with Beijing. Such a trend in the bilateral relationship, nevertheless, raises a concern that Indonesia might put its independence in foreign policy at risk since the country’s vaccine cooperation with China, like its overall relations, is asymmetrical in nature. This webinar seeks to throw some lights on the problems and prospects of China’s vaccine diplomacy in Indonesia and how it could shape Indonesia-China relations in the short- and long-run. It will also address the impacts of the vaccine diplomacy on ethnic and community relations in Indonesia.
This webinar is supported by Konrad Adenauer Stiftung.
About the Speaker
Ardhitya Eduard Yeremia is a faculty member of the Department of International Relations, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Universitas Indonesia. His research interests include China’s foreign policy, China-Southeast Asia relations, and Indonesia-China people-to-people exchanges. His research has been published in the International Journal of China Studies, Pacific Review, Asian Perspective and《南洋问题研究》. He can be contacted at the following email addresses: yerehi@ui.ac.id and lalisangyeremia@gmail.com.
About the Discussant
Professor Leo Suryadinata is currently Visiting Senior Fellow at ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute. He was formerly Professor in the Department of Political Science at the National University of Singapore. He has published extensively on Southeast Asian politics, ethnic Chinese in Southeast Asia and China-ASEAN relations. His latest book is The Rise of China and the Chinese Overseas (ISEAS Publications, 2017).
Registration
This webinar will be delivered online entirely. You can join the webinar at the specified date and time using devices (computer, phone, or tablet) with internet connection.
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