Background
The growing of China’s economy and military power in the recent decades argued by many experts as gradually will change the international power configuration, especially in Asia (White, 2011, and East Asia Forum, 2010, p-15). The more powerful and prosperous China, alongside the declining of the US power, is likely will change the surrounding countries engagement on political, economic and military relation with China. Situated in the close region, Indonesia and Australia will also be impacted by this geostrategic implication. Coincidentally interesting, the three countries will be presented in this essay represents three civilization in Huntington’s writing (1996), that are Confucius, Islam and Western civilization.
Following the Huntington’s theory of the clash of civilizations to remark the new world order, however, the reality on the ground was changing. The United States domination is likely decreasing, refers to the unsuccessful story of Afghanistan and Iraq war. This process occurred alongside with deterioration of the US economy due to the huge budget deficit and global financial crisis. As the new great power, China will likely be accepted as new reality in Asia alongside with the flooding of their manufacture products in the international market. The China’s economic growth is predicted will surpasses the United States as the largest economy in the world in 2020 based on The Australian Government’s Defence White Paper (East Asia Forum, 2010, p-15) after reaching double digit of growth for many years.
