JAKARTA -- Indonesia's three presidential candidates are unified in their muted response to China's growing clout in Southeast Asia, and in their support of Palestinians. While two are more inward-looking in their foreign policy, with a heavy focus on economic diplomacy, one wants Indonesia to play a greater role on the international stage.
Anti-China rhetoric has barely been heard during the campaign so far, ahead of the presidential vote on Feb. 14. This is in contrast to 2019, when then-opposition candidate Prabowo Subianto used public anti-China sentiment to attack President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo as he sought reelection, throwing around allegations, such as that Chinese workers were stealing local jobs.
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