IndexIndonesian sentiments towards the ChineseThe importance of Chinese public diplomacy in IndonesiaReferencesIndonesia – and its people – almost never have a distant relationship with China . China and Indonesia have built their diplomatic relations since 1950 and managed to suspend ties for 25 years after the 1965 coup attempt, until relations were restored in July 1990. To date, the close ties between China and Indonesia are evident from both countries' active cooperation; from China which is Indonesia's second largest direct investor, to the growing interest in infrastructure and manufacturing cooperation, up to the maritime partnership. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Although bilateral cooperation has made progress and expanded in various fields, the close relations between China and Indonesia are not – and should be – only visible under the “Strategic Partnership Agreement”, but rather also in the other aspects that involve civil societies on a broader scale. The Chinese diaspora had also entered Indonesia in pre-independence Indonesia and had been involved in trade activities, economic, social and political issues, and since then Indonesians had developed a perception towards the Chinese. When Indonesians talk about "Chinese", it may refer to Indonesian citizens with Chinese ethnicity or blood (Indonesian Chinese) and/or native Chinese. In any case, the ethnic Chinese people are the human representative of China before the Indonesian public, and this means how important the perception of Indonesians towards the (ethnic) Chinese is for the two countries and the people. Indonesian feelings towards the Chinese before the May 1998 riots and the ever-strong anti-Chinese feelings in Indonesia, Indonesian Chinese experienced an identity crisis in which, despite efforts to identify as Indonesian, they obviously could not escape their “Chinese-ness”. Indeed, the event generated a deeply rooted insecurity, resulting from years of discrimination and feelings. Not only did the riots bring great threats to Chinese Indonesians but also to China in the bigger picture. The unexpected and powerful anti-government student political protests of 1998 in mainland China showed to the world the consciousness of Chinese protesters that their relatives were subjected to terrible violence and thus urged the government to take some initiatives – at the very moment when the China has begun to lose its traditional isolationism. Today, although Chinese Indonesians continue to be a minority – representing 3% of the total population, there have been many turning points, especially those initiated by former President Abdurrahman Wahid who revoked a law banning Chinese cultural performances and l use of Chinese names. Yet the feelings have not completely gone away from Indonesians. In the recent controversy over Basuki Tjahaja Purnama – or the so-called Ahok, the issue of the Chinese ethnic minority running for Jakarta's gubernatorial elections has gained traction among Chinese Indonesians. Even if Basuki's ethnicity is not the most important factor, the drama has still sparked anti-Chinese sentiments in Indonesia. Chants to "kill Ahok" and "crush the Chinese" emerged during the government rally, showing how palpable the anti-Chinese sentiments were. In fact, such a case as public assault occurred like what happened to a Chinese Indonesian named Andrew Budikusuma who was shouted by several youths, "Ahok... you are Ahok" and suffered some bullyingphysical, which is then said to bear all the signs of being a racist act. The case indicates that anti-Chinese sentiments remain rooted in Indonesia, and once again, in Indonesia, politics, pluralism and tolerance are being tested, and Chinese (whether Indonesian Chinese or native Chinese) are not exempt from caution . David McRae, a senior research fellow at the Asia Institute at the University of Melbourne in Australia, said that anti-Chinese sentiment in Indonesia is undeniably nothing new, however the degree to which the mainstream has become involved in this politics ( Ahok's case) is new in democratic Indonesia, and this could influence the long-term perception of (ethnic) Chinese in Indonesia. The way this sentiment directly affects China is quite remarkable. One notable case is fake news about China that has gotten out of control. Indonesia's disinformation problem aligned with anti-China sentiments has given rise to several fake news stories, and one of them was the widely circulated news that Beijing was using "biological weapons" to purposely destabilize the Indonesian economy. Given that Indonesia is among the most active social media users in the world, misinformation is able to spread quickly. This type of fake news could in fact damage Jakarta's diplomatic engagement with Beijing, generating anxiety and fear in both states. Not to mention the anti-China sentiments that may have contributed to Chinese investors' fear. As reported by Liky Sutikno, director of the Indonesian Chambers of Commerce and Industry for China, Chinese investors consider Indonesia too risky, especially in relation to intolerance. As if the direct apparent loss goes to Indonesia, the condition is a reminder of the impact the sentiment could have for the two countries, relationships and people (particularly the Chinese and/or diaspora in Indonesia). The Importance of China's Public Diplomacy in Indonesia Diplomacy has been defined as the means by which a country communicates with foreign audiences to inform and influence for the purpose of promoting national interest and advancing foreign policy objectives. Indeed, public diplomacy is important for states especially before today's condition of the interconnected world. With the emergence of the information age and the “death of distance”, there is a trend towards decreasing government power and, at the same time, the growing importance of roles played by non-state actors, including civil societies . The current globalized world has “led people” into diplomatic practices, and that said, the success of diplomacy today lies not simply in the bilateral agreements of states and officials, but in the broad public – global publics are now part of creating diplomacy, not simply to consume it. In addressing anti-Chinese sentiments in Indonesia, it is very important to highlight the complex role of the public (both Indonesian and Chinese society) in the sentiments. Along with the resumption of Indonesia-China relations, Indonesia has sought to eradicate ethnic sentiment by integrating the presence of Chinese (whether people or cultures) into society, starting with allowing the teaching of the Chinese language in schools (President BJ Habibie era) until the Chinese were allowed to assert their own cultural and religious identity (president Abdurrahman Wahid). What it did was allow the public to understand each other's values ​​and tolerate them. This resembles the awareness that acceptance and good relations between Indonesia and China are not only and exclusively between governments but also between peoples. As also concluded by the sixth seminar on Indonesia-China bilateral relations conducted,.