The Vision of “Indonesia Towards the World Maritime Centre (Poros Maritim Dunia) “from the Perspective of Maritime History, Majapahit Kingdom and Patih Gajah Mada Vision, Geopolitics and Geostrategy in Southeast Asia

Abstract

The announcement to create a maritime economic initiative known as the 21st Century Maritime Silk Route (MSR) by Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2013 has created a new paradigm shift in geoeconomics and geopolitics of various countries included in the Pacific Ocean and Indian Ocean. Through this agenda, China intends to redevelop the maritime pathways in the sea and oceans that once elevated China as one of the world's leading maritime powers. Compared to the countries in Southeast Asia that still have various perceptions on China's agenda, Indonesia instead views this agenda as an opportunity to develop its territories that have long been marginalized from the tide of development and in line with the changing world economic-political agenda in the 21st century through an idea known as "Indonesia Towards World Maritime" inspired by Mr. Jokowi-Jusuf Kalla in 2014. Taking into account the importance of this idea to Indonesia's geo-economic and geo-political agenda, the research and writing of this paper is aimed at revisiting the history of Indonesia maritime which was once a world-class maritime cruise and trade route before being erased by hundreds of years of Dutch colonization. In addition, the study also aims to see and evaluate the extent to which the idea of "Indonesia Towards World Maritime Centre" is able to restore the spirit of the Indonesia nation and become a major maritime power in the Southeast Asian Islands.