As the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs reiterated its standard position that the recent bilateral trade pact between Indonesia and the United States “must not undermine the interests of any third party,” a number of observers raised concerns about potential economic consequences. However, a more nuanced examination of the geopolitical and economic landscape reveals that this interpretation overlooks both China’s strategic motivations and the underlying mechanisms shaping the region’s economic relationships. In fact, Beijing is unlikely to pursue retaliatory measures […]
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