Review of “The Chinese Belt and Road Initiative’s : Indonesia-China Cooperation and Future Opportunities for Indonesia’s Port Cities Development

Abstract. This paper aims to elaborate the Chinese Belt and Road Initiative, through a SWOT analysis of the China-Indonesia relation and investment conditions and a descriptive analysis of the impact of the development of Indonesian port cities. The Belt and Road Initiative emerges as a new Chinese government strategy of cooperation with neighboring countries. It will revitalize the existing Silk Road and build a Maritime Silk Road, connecting South East Asia through the Indian Ocean to the Middle East and North Africa. It exhibits similarities with Indonesia’s Maritime Toll program. Indonesia’s involvement in the Maritime Silk Road offers many opportunities to foreign countries to invest and participate in their economic development. However, Indonesia’s Investment Coordinating Board states that Chinese investment realization in Indonesia was no more than 10% in 2014. The output of this paper consists of recommendations for both parties to create a conducive investment climate by getting to know each country well, assuring the realization of planned investment, taking advantage of the China-ASEAN Free Trade Zone and the AIIB, and upgrading the investment system.