Leiden University Student Repository

Meer, Nikki Rie van der (2022)

Does money buy friends? the effect of economic interdependence between China and Indonesia on the Natuna territorial dispute

Master thesis | Asian Studies (60 EC) (MA)

This thesis investigates the following research question: ''How has the development of the economic interdependence between China and Indonesia affected their behavior in the Natuna territorial dispute.'' The conclusion is that in the last twenty years Indonesia has developed an economic dependence on China. As a result, China has increasingly used bluffing in the Natuna dispute. As a response, Indonesia has been caught in a balancing act between the economic interests of the Natuna territory and its relationship with China. On the one hand, Indonesia has been constrained by China’s behavior. On het other hand, Indonesia has also been more determined to resist China’s bluffing. This has led to more incidents and incidents with a higher level of hostility over time.

China

Indonesia

Natuna

territorial dispute

trade

FDI

Author

Meer, Nikki Rie van der

Faculty

Faculty of Humanities

Supervisors

Wang, J.

ECTS Credits

15

Language

en