Table of contents Indonesian sentiments towards ChineseThe importance of Chinese public diplomacy in IndonesiaReferencesIndonesia – and the people – almost never maintain distant relations with China. China and Indonesia have been building their diplomatic ties since 1950 and had to suspend relations for 25 years after the 1965 coup attempt, until relations were restored in July 1990. Today, close ties between China and Indonesia are evident in both countries. active cooperation of countries; seen from China being Indonesia's second largest direct investor, from growing interest in infrastructure and manufacturing cooperation, to maritime partnership. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get the original essay Although bilateral cooperation has progressed and expanded in various fields, the close relationship between China and Indonesia has not are not – and should be – only visible. within the framework of a “strategic partnership agreement”, but also in other aspects which involve all of civil society. The Chinese diaspora had entered Indonesia even before independence and was involved in trade, economic, social and political activities, and since then Indonesians had developed a perception towards the Chinese. When Indonesians speak of "Chinese", it may refer to Indonesian citizens of Chinese ethnicity or blood (Chinese Indonesians) and/or ethnic Chinese. Regardless, ethnic Chinese people present themselves as China's human representatives to the Indonesian public, which shows how important Indonesian perceptions of (ethnic) Chinese are to both country and for the people. Indonesian feelings towards the Chinese Prior to the May 1998 riots and growing anti-Chinese sentiments in Indonesia, Chinese Indonesians experienced an identity crisis in which, despite efforts to identify as Indonesian, they obviously could not escape their “Chineseness”. Indeed, this event gave birth to a deep-rooted insecurity, a legacy of years of discrimination and resentment. Not only did the riots pose great threats to Chinese Indonesians, but also to China as a whole. The unexpected and powerful 1998 student political protests in mainland China against the government showed the world Chinese protesters' awareness that their loved ones were being subjected to terrible violence and then urged the government to take certain initiatives - just when China began to shed its traditions. Today, even if the Indonesian Chinese remain a minority – they represent 3% of the total population – many turning points have taken place, notably at the initiative of former President Abdurrahman Wahid who repealed a law banning shows Chinese cultures and the use of Chinese culture. Chinese names. Yet the feelings have not completely dissipated among Indonesians. In the recent hot debate around Basuki Tjahaja Purnama – or so-called Ahok, the issue of the Chinese ethnic minority running in the Jakarta gubernatorial elections has put Chinese Indonesians in difficulty. Although Basuki's ethnicity is not the most important factor, the drama has nevertheless sparked anti-Chinese sentiments in Indonesia. Chants to “kill Ahok” and “crush the Chinese” appeared at the governors’ gathering, showing howthe anti-Chinese was palpable. the feelings were. In fact, a case of public assault occurred such as what happened to a Chinese Indonesian named Andrew Budikusuma who was shouted by several youths: "Ahok...you are Ahok" and was physically bullied , which would then have brought all the signs. to be a racially motivated act. This case indicates that anti-Chinese sentiments remain entrenched in Indonesia and that once again, in Indonesia, politics, pluralism and tolerance are being tested, and the Chinese (whether Indonesian Chinese or natives)Chinese) are not exempt from caution. David McRae, a senior research fellow at the Asia Institute at the University of Melbourne in Australia, said anti-Chinese sentiment in Indonesia is undeniably not new, but the degree to which the mainstream has been drawn into the phenomenon. the policy (Ahok's case) is new in democratic Indonesia, which could affect the long-term perception of (ethnic) Chinese in Indonesia. How this sentiment directly affects China is quite remarkable. A notable case is that fake news about China has gotten out of control. Indonesia's misinformation problem, combined with anti-China sentiments, has given rise to several fake news stories, including the widely reported news that Beijing was using "biological weapons" to deliberately destabilize Indonesia's economy. Given that Indonesia has some of the most active social media users in the world, misinformation can spread quickly. This kind of fake news could indeed harm Jakarta's diplomatic engagement with Beijing, generating anxiety and fear in both states. Not to mention the anti-Chinese sentiments which could have contributed to the fear of Chinese investors. As Liky Sutikno, director of the Indonesian Chambers of Commerce and Industry for China, reported, Chinese investors viewed Indonesia as too risky, especially regarding intolerance. As if the direct apparent loss falls to Indonesia, the situation resembles the impact the sentiment could have on the two countries, relations and people (especially the Chinese people and/or the diaspora in Indonesia). The Importance of China's Public Diplomacy in Indonesia Diplomacy has been defined as the means by which a country communicates with the foreign public in order to inform and influence with the aim of promoting the national interest and advancing foreign policy objectives. In reality, public diplomacy is important for states, especially in today's networked world. With the emergence of the information age and the "death of distance", there is a trend of diminishing government power, but an increasing importance of the roles played by non-state actors, including civil society. Today's globalized world has "integrated the people" into diplomatic practices, and that being said, the success of diplomacy today does not rely only on the bilateral agreements of states and officials, but also on the broad public - the global audiences are now part of it. It’s about creating diplomacy, not just consuming it. When addressing anti-Chinese sentiments in Indonesia, it is very important to highlight the complex role of the public (both Indonesian and Chinese society) in these sentiments. Along with the restoration of relations between Indonesia and China, Indonesia has attempted to eradicate ethnic sentiments by integrating the presence of Chinese people (whether people or cultures) into society, starting with authorize the teaching of the Chinese language in schools (President BJ Habibie era) until,.