{
  "id": 6188952,
  "title": "Keeping it free and active",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/07/keeping-it-free-and-active",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-07T23:06:06.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Jakarta Post",
    "slug": "the-jakarta-post",
    "url": "https://www.thejakartapost.com/opinion/2026/09/08/keeping-it-free-and-active.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Keeping it free and active, Indonesia finds itself in a delicate balancing act as Washington pushes allies to pressure Beijing. President Prabowo Subianto faces a busy schedule with five major multilateral summits before the year ends. United States Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent recently emphasized the importance of countering China's influence at the G20. As a non-aligned nation, Indonesia is anchored to a \"free and active\" foreign policy by its constitution. However, critics argue that this doctrine is outdated. Indonesia's leaders must stay true to their principles or risk diplomatic embarrassment. Foreign Minister Sugiono plays a crucial role in maintaining unity within the cabinet. Prabowo's impulsive tendencies can be risky in high-pressure negotiations, so he needs to keep them in check. The President's tight itinerary includes trips to Vladivostok, Russia, New Delhi for the BRICS summit, and the UN General Assembly in New York. While China exerts influence over BRICS, some members have moderated their rhetoric. New Delhi provides a model for Indonesia to navigate the BRICS without becoming anti-Western. Prabowo should demonstrate nonalignment without appearing rigid or unwilling to compromise. At the UN, Prabowo will likely follow a pragmatic approach, similar to past Indonesian leaders. With the upcoming APEC and ASEAN summits in Asia, Indonesia must prepare for potential pressure from the US, especially if President Trump attends.",
  "summary": "As Washington pushes allies to gang up on Beijing, Indonesia must resist the pressure and stay true to its non-aligned roots, or risk becoming the mouse deer crushed between two fighting elephants.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}