This year marks the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China and the 69th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties with Indonesia. The two countries are already closely linked through the Belt and Road Initiative.

The initiative, raised by China in 2013, is actually a "golden opportunity" for Indonesia. The 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, one of two integral parts of the Belt and Road Initiative proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping in Jakarta in October that year, is in synergy with Indonesia's vision, launched by Indonesian President Joko Widodo in 2014, to become the World Maritime Axis.

What Indonesia needs is to develop a strategy that builds and empowers the potential of sea power and geopolitics. The World Maritime Axis is a suitable concept because thanks to its geostrategic position, Indonesia benefits from political and trade interactions in the Pacific and Indian oceans.

To become a maritime axis, Indonesia should at least be able to facilitate maritime activities, process and build maritime resources, maintain stability and security and utilize geopolitical dynamics in the Indo-Pacific.

Indonesia consists of thousands of islands that are scattered widely, but the economic conditions are quite weak and concentrated on Java and Sumatra. Indonesia's dependence on mineral, oil and gas can take a toll on its economy, so it needs to diversify resources. But for that it requires infrastructure and connectivity.

At present Indonesia is concentrating on developing inter-island connectivity and infrastructure, and the Belt and Road Initiative actually complements the government's programs. According to government data, more than 13 Belt and Road Initiative projects are going on in Indonesia in areas such as industrial estates, toll roads and ports, among others.

When these projects are completed, the country will be able to attract greater foreign direct investment to much wider sectors, helping it to reduce poverty and inequality between regions.

Indonesia's lack of infrastructure in the maritime sector has also prompted Widodo to accelerate maritime connectivity at the local, regional and international levels. But Indonesia and China can meet their respective needs through cooperation. That's why Widodo acknowledges that the plan and development of the Indonesian maritime world is complementary with the Belt and Road Initiative. Both will gain from it.

Indonesia has emphasized that the Belt and Road Initiative projects should be driven by the private sector. According to the Indonesian government, none of the projects are government to government. Instead, a company-to-company model between Chinese and Indonesian companies works on these projects. The role of the government is only to facilitate. Diplomacy and economic considerations have further strengthened cooperation through this program. In practice, the Belt and Road Initiative needs to be continued with more balanced and mutually beneficial schemes.

Economic, trade and security cooperation with other countries are not enough in this world of interconnectivity.

Social, cultural, and historical approaches to other countries also need to be put forward.

In his 2013 speech at the Indonesian parliament, President Xi noted the role of Zheng He of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) in the archipelago. Zheng's approaches provide valuable perspectives.

First, Zheng's presence was very different from that of Western nationals such as Alfonso de Albuquerque or Vasco da Gama. They initially aimed at the economy but those soon turned into political goals. The people of Indonesia will always remember their interaction with Chinese society through Zheng, in the form of economic and trade cooperation on the principle of mutual respect and benefit.

Second, Zheng also undertook a mission of cultural cooperation with the kingdoms in the archipelago. Nusantara, the archipelago, is rich in its various cultures and customs, but Zheng's presence speeded up cultural integration with the Chinese people who have lived on various islands. The people of the archipelago themselves believe that Chinese culture is part of the archipelago's culture.

To ensure the initiative's further success in Indonesia, Chinese business people also need to learn and adjust. Investors who want to succeed in Indonesia in the long run not only have to think about how to overcome opposing sentiments in some parts of Indonesian society, but also learn how to operate in a cultural environment that is very different from China. This can be applied in Chinese cooperation with other countries in Asia and Africa.

Moreover, the development of the initiative should help strengthen maritime security cooperation both at the international and regional levels, with mutual respect for international law. The two Belt and Road Initiative summits, first in 2017 and then in April 2019, opened up great opportunities for various countries to engage in.

We can now see that China is able to dismiss various countries' suspicions through open dialogue, its willingness to revisit agreements considered unbalanced and open opportunities for dialogue and cooperation.

Full and balanced cooperation between Indonesia and China through the concepts of the World Maritime Axis and 21st Century Maritime Silk Road will lead to better futures for both countries and the region.

The author is former speaker of Indonesian House of Representatives.

The author contributed this article to China Watch exclusively. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of China Watch.

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