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The United States (US) Military Bases in the Indo-Pacific: Indonesia’s Interest vs. the US Hegemony
Hendra Manurung, Harri Dolli Hutabarat
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DOI:10.17265/2328-2134/2026.03.002
Republic of Indonesia Defence University, Bogor, Indonesia
Geopolitical tensions in the Indo-Pacific region are heating up as rivalry between the United States (US) and China intensifies. Amidst this dynamic, Indonesia continues to face a complex strategic dilemma regarding how to maintain its sovereignty and the principle of an independent and active foreign policy amid pressure to choose sides in the rivalry between two major global powers. The presence of US military bases in neighbouring countries, such as Japan, the Philippines, and Guam, indirectly contributes to creating a security environment that influences Indonesia’s diplomatic manoeuvrability. This paper aims to analyse Indonesia’s foreign policy dilemma in balancing its commitment to realizing national sovereignty with responding to the political reality of US hegemony in the region. Through a hedging strategy framework and an analysis of an independent and active foreign policy, this article argues that although Indonesia constitutionally rejects the presence of foreign military bases in its territory, the structural pressures of US-China competition force Indonesia to deftly navigate an increasingly narrow position between maintaining strategic autonomy and accommodating the interests of major global powers.
US bases, Indonesian sovereignty, political hegemony, Indo-Pacific, free and active
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