There are two schools of thought in the United States about how to interpret China s motives behind its massive military buildup. Some senior military officials, such as Adm. Michael Gilday and Air Force Gen. Mike Minihan, claim that China s invasion of Taiwan is imminent and it could occur as early as this year.
Though Indonesia is not overly concerned about the new US–PNG Defense Cooperation Agreement, it wants to avoid stoking the US-China fire in the Indo-Pacific.
Indonesia could unwittingly be drawn into great-power military conflict due to its strategic location, especially if a China-U.S. clash happens in Indonesian waters.