Indonesia Must Respond to Pelosi's Visit to Taiwan, Academic Says

TheIndonesia.id - An expert in international law has called for the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs to release a statement as a response to the United States House of Representatives’ speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan.

Hikmahanto Juwana from the University of Indonesia said the controversial visit will eventually affect Indonesia, and it is deemed necessary that the Indonesian government address the matter.

“Because, sooner or later, Indonesia will be impacted by the tension between the US and China,” Juwana said on Wednesday, August 3, as reported by Antara.

The Chinese government has made statements against the visit, and the spokesperson for China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs Hua Chunying said on Tuesday, “[We] have repeatedly and unmistakably expressed to the US side our firm opposition to Speaker Pelosi’s potential visit to Taiwan. And we hope that the US officials are clear about the importance and sensitivity of this issue and the potential danger in the event of this visit.”

Besides worsening the US-China tension, Juwana said the visit will also threaten regional stability and security, and he revealed the three reasons why Indonesia should oppose to the visit.

First, the US appears to repeatedly create provocation in different regions, including in Europe when its government welcomed Ukraine’s wish to be part of NATO. This worried Russia and eventually resulted in an invasion that still continues today.

Second, according to Juwana, the US is employing a double standard policy, and it is evident when it condemned Russia’s claim over Donetsk and Luhansk’s territories but supported Taiwan to separate from China by sending Pelosi to the East Asian country.

Lastly, Juwana said it’s urgent for Indonesia to immediately respond to the latest event as the visit might encourage China to ally with Russia against the US and its provocative foreign policy.

“The consequence [of the possible alliance] is a threatened global security. War in Ukraine might even last longer – including its people’s misery,” the academic warned.