China-Indonesia Bilateral Relations

When Diplomats aren’t people: China’s Panda Diplomacy to Indonesia in 2017

(Nur Indah Setia Rini, Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta)

“Let our two peoples join hands, write new chapter in growing our bilateral relations, work
for a bright future for China-ASEAN community of shared destiny, and make greater
contributions to the lofty cause of world peace and development”
(Chinese President Xi Jinping, 2013)

China and Indonesia established diplomatic relations on 13 April 1950, which was
suspended on 30 October 1967. Meanwhile the bilateral relations of China-Indonesia began to
ease since 1980s. The bilateral relations developed steadily since the resumption of diplomatic
relations of the two countries. Both two leaders have maintained exchange of visit and
contacts. As a result, mutual understanding and trust had been increasing, laying the
foundation for the healthy and steady development of bilateral relations. The recent years
have witnessed the constant deepening of economic and trade cooperation and increase of the
trade volume year by year (Chinese Embassy in Indonesia, 2011).
Foreign trade and economic cooperation being major core of China-Indonesia’s
bilateral in the very beginning. It proved by Chinese embassy in Indonesia that stated in 1990
both bilateral trade volume has risen from 1.18 billion US$ to 7.464 billion in 2001. By this
huge number of trade’s volume, China-Indonesia tightened their bilateral ties. By the end of
2001, agriculture, energy, exploration of resources and infrastructure construction had become
the major parts of their economic and trade cooperation.
Due to high profits that both country gained, the scope of bilateral not only talking
about economic, trade relations and technological cooperation, but been widen into other
issues such as exchanges and cooperation in culture, scientific, and military fields.
Cooperation between local governments or known as Para diplomacy came to be another
example how tight the bilateral of China-Indonesia. Beijing built up ties of friendship cities
with Jakarta, East Java and Shanghai, Guangdong Province and North Sumatra, Fujian
Province with Central Java, and Hunan Province with West Nusa Tenggara.
Panda bear must be famous of its cuteness but however panda bear still remains wildly
popular. Who knows that an animal can be tool of diplomacy? Panda diplomacy can defined
as an act of China sending giant pandas to other countries. China has been sending pandas

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abroad since 1950s to foster ties with other countries. Here panda is used as diplomacy
symbol which able to represent policy. Indeed diplomacy refers and symbolizes within the
existence of diplomat meanwhile the existence of panda here also diplomats, but mute
(Pacher, 2017).

China’s Panda Diplomacy to Indonesia in 2017

For Chinese Panda is treasure, symbol of peace and friendship. Some province in China
assume that panda is symbol of lucky. Color contrast of panda equated as mythology of Yin
and Yang or means as equality. The pandas that been deployed by China government to
another countries served as the primary means of expressing inter-state sentiment. At the
same time, not all countries can receive a panda, and the countries which do are a small and
very specifically chosen group which adds to the question of what the purpose of panda
diplomacy actually is (Hinderson, 2017, p. 1). In 1946 Panda diplomacy has been done by
China to England and it became prima donna in Zoo of London. Moreover panda also became
the logo of World Wild Fund (WWF).
Panda diplomacy sets new stage in China-Indonesia ties. Indonesia must be proud
received panda from China after 60 years bilateral relations. Female giant panda Hu Chun and
male one Cai Tao arrived at Soekarno-Hatta airport in Jakarta on September 28th, 2017 on
loan for 10 years from China. The pandas have been ready for public in Taman Safari, a Zoo
in Bogor. It was noted that Indonesia became the 4th official country in Southeast Asia and the
16th country in the world to get a breeding loan from Giant Pandas from China (Muzakki,
2017).
Through the Panda diplomacy however we can assume some assumption that might be a
reason beyond. First of all the pandas were lent by Beijing aim to mark the diplomatic
anniversary of 60 years bilateral relations China-Indonesia despite recent tensions between the
nations, with a number of clashes between Chinese and Indonesia vessels in the South China
Sea. The reason above is logical thought if the perspective were came from China of course.
Yet we can’t deny the bussiness stuff as China’s interest in which implied to their foreign
policy.

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The Effectiveness of Panda Diplomacy

How effective this panda diplomacy? If we analyze through perspective of bilateral

relations, of course both China and Indonesia will get own profits. As what I said above, for
China the profits will be in the business stuff and foreign trade. Within 10 years loan of
pandas to Indonesia means that Indonesia commit to have bilateral relations until 10 years
letter yet the content of it agreement must be force them to cooperate each other. In the other
word means that the panda diplomacy is a tool for keep in touch within the ASEAN region
though Indonesia due to the tension in South China Sea between China and the claimant in
which mostly came from ASEAN member.
Back then to the effectiveness of panda diplomacy, for Indonesia there might a lot of
profits beside the business and the foreign trade profits which is about transfer technology.
We knew that China and Indonesia have different temperature and zone yet clearly that Hu
Chun and Cai Tao, the pandas lent by China to Indonesia, can’t survive easily in Indonesia.
That’s why China must transfer their technology to Indonesia so these pandas could life as
comfort as possible and treated as good as in China-the origin place of the pandas. Through
this transfer technology Indonesia able to maximize its ability to keep the health and wealth of
the pandas moreover Indonesia is able to use the technology in order increasing quality to
treat the other animal and its habitat. Good news for Indonesia through the transfer technology
could help also the environment.

Conclusion

Panda diplomacy between China to Indonesia marked as the 60 years anniversary of

their bilateral relations. By inserting panda diplomacy in the middle of their bilateral relations
perhaps will be tightening the relations of them both. We realize that must be own interest
beyond this diplomacy yet we can deny it. However this panda diplomacy straight forward
give profits to both of them fairly. This panda diplomacy is really effective to improve the
environment in Indonesia through the transfer technology yet could decrease the trigger of
environmental distraction. The transfer technology from China to Indonesia hopefully is able
to make the pandas life longer in Indonesia with its own zone and habitat. Meanwhile for
China the profits in kind of long lasting business and foreign trade relations with Indonesia

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after passed golden age of China-Indonesia bilateral through loaning a couple of panda to
Indonesia. Last but not least panda is embodied within the China because the whole panda in
this world own by China. If it sent to the other country meant that the panda is representative
of China or specifically called as ambassador or diplomat but muted.

Bibliography
(2011, June 29). Retrieved February 26, 2018, from Chinese Embassy in Indonesia:
http://www.china.org.cn/world/experience_china_in_indonesia/2011-
06/29/content_22885834.htm
Hinderson, S. (2017, May 2). Retrieved February 25, 2018, from
http://lup.lub.lu.se/luur/download?func=downloadFile&recordOId=8907633&fileOId=8909594
Muzakki, F. (2017, September 29). Retrieved February 26, 2018, from Kompas:
http://internasional.kompas.com/read/2017/09/29/19355721/diplomasi-panda-tirai-bambu-di-
indonesia
Pacher, A. (2017, November 02). Retrieved February 26, 2018, from The Diplomat:
https://thediplomat.com/2017/11/chinas-panda-diplomacy/