Prof Vedi Hadiz is Professor of Asian Studies and Redman Barry Distinguished Professor at Asia Institute of the University of Melbourne. While Kevin Evans is Indonesia director for the Australia-Indonesia Centre. Both Prof. Vedi Hadiz and Kevin Evans acknowledged that Indonesia has an active and independent principle in its foreign policy. Therefore, Indonesia will never establish strategic relations with any country.
However, Indonesia's closeness to China, especially in the fields of investment, economic and security, needs serious attention. Both men believe that Australia can deepen its engagement with Indonesia not only through economy and security, but also through various sectors such as education or technology transfer related to new and renewable energy and other sectors.
