Getting Nods from the Muslims: China’s Muslim Diplomacy in Indonesia

Abstract

China has detained an estimated two million Uighur Muslims in concentration camps in the northwestern province of Xinjiang for forced re-education and political indoctrinations. While many human rights organizations have published various accounts of China’s actions, many Muslim countries have been silent over the issue. Over the years, alongside economic clout, China has exerted efforts to subdue any criticism from the Muslim countries of its actions in Xinjiang. Indonesia, as the world’s largest Muslim-majority nation, is no exception. By developing the concept of ‘Muslim diplomacy’ from the existing literature on China’s faith diplomacy, this paper aims to analyze the different efforts implemented by China to co-opt Indonesian Muslims. The paper finds that there are four forms of Muslim diplomacy employed by China in Indonesia, which includes: 1) promoting positive narratives to Indonesian officials, 2) establishing close relations with Muslim organizations, 3) offering scholarships to Muslim students and collaborating with Islamic educational institutions, and 4) expanding media efforts to send positive messages about China.