Lecturer and researcher at the Faculty of Social Sciences, Department of International Relations of the Universidade Nasional Timor Lorosa’e (UNTL)
Indonesia-Timor-Leste Relations: A View from Soft Power Lens
For 24 years prior to 1999, Timor-Leste was seen as a ‘pebble’ in Indonesia’s shoe. However, the nature of their relationship has since evolved, with both countries now claiming to have built cordial ties, becoming good neighbors despite some unresolved sensitive issues. The two countries have signed several strategic cooperation agreements aimed at facilitating the movement of people, expanding economic collaboration, and advancing technical cooperation in sectors such as agriculture, industry, energy, higher education, banking, and telecommunications. This paper examines Indonesia’s engagement with Timor-Leste through the lens of soft power in IR. It argues that, in its efforts to increase influence in Timor-Leste, Indonesia uses both forms of soft power—attraction and representational force. Influence through representational force is conveyed through discursive narratives that suggest negative consequences for Timor-Leste unless it complies, while power through attraction is exerted through various channels, including education, cultural diplomacy, economic partnerships, and media.
Biography
Laurentina ‘mica’ Barreto Soares is a lecturer and researcher at the Faculty of Social Sciences, Department of International Relations of the Universidade Nasional Timor Lorosa’e (UNTL). Mica earned a PhD in 2021 at the Swinburne University of Technology, Australia. Her research focuses on China-Timor-Leste relations. She earned her masters’ degrees in Peace Studies from Notre Dame University in USA in 2003 and International Development Studies from Ohio University in USA in 2011.