Jakarta – Documents reportedly released by WikiLeaks quote a senior Chinese government official as saying that he was "not impressed" with Indonesia's presidents after the downfall of Suharto other than Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.
The documents, classified by David Samuel Sedney, who served as Deputy Chief of Mission at the United States Embassy in Beijing from 2004-2007, were transmitted after talks on Southeast Asia between an American official and two of China's assistant ministers of foreign affairs, Cui Tian-kai and Hu Zhengyue.
"Beijing was 'not impressed' with the presidents who led Indonesia the aftermath of the Asian Financial Crisis in the late 1990s, but has been pleased with President Yudhoyono's progress since taking power in 2004, DG Hu said," the leaked cable says.
The cables also quote Hu as accepting that China can influence "the general direction" of development in Indonesia, though he cautioned that Beijing must be "sensitive to the political reality of a significant ethnic Chinese population in Indonesia."
Hu, according to the documents published on the Web site of Danish newspaper Politiken, noted growing ethnic and religious tensions in Indonesia.
"Jakarta faces the challenge of decreasing the influence of the military and promoting democracy, while simultaneously responding to growing ethnic and religious tension. Beijing seeks to promote secular Islam in Indonesia by encouraging interaction with China's 20 million Muslims.
"In recent years, the United States and China have coordinated in providing assistance to Indonesia following natural disasters. Beijing sees such cooperation as a model for further such regional cooperation, DG Hu said."
The American official, identified only as DAS John, was quoted as telling Hu that "the United States and China must work together to promote democratization, economic growth and counter-terrorism in Indonesia."
"While President Susilo Yudhoyono has taken positive steps, we must encourage further transparency, accountability and military reform. Beijing should join Washington in pressing for better governance and accountability in the military, the Tentara Nasional Indonesia (TNI). Transparency in the TNI would reinforce and encourage transparency in Indonesia's government and public affairs in general, essential to attracting much-needed foreign investment.
"We must also press for reforms in labor and investment laws, as well as judicious enforcement of those laws, DAS John urged DG Hu."