Indonesia (The Dragon Splits)

Indonesia, officially known as the Republic of Indonesia (Indonesian: Republik Indonesia) is a sovereign archipelago located in Southeast Asia. It is the largest archipelago in the world and host the world's largest Muslim population. The country shares borders with the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei, Australia, Singapore, and Papua New Guinea.

History
See also: History of Indonesia

20th Century: WWII and the Cold War
Indonesia was known as the Dutch East Indies, a colonial possession of The Netherlands. The islands were economically important because of its oil and rubber. On the outbreak of the Pacific Theater of World War II in December 1941, the Japanese invaded and occupied the Dutch East Indies. Remaining Dutch troops fled to the countryside and joined the local Indonesian resistance in harassing the occupying Japanese forces. The islands were liberated in 1945 where the country declared independence afterwards.

The setting of the Cold War caused upheaval in Indonesia. The 30 September movement saw the fighting between the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI or Parti Kommunist Indonesia) and the government. Sukarno embarked on a series of aggressive foreign policies under the rubric of anti-imperialism, with aid from the Soviet Union and China. The 30 September Movement (1965) led to the destruction of the PKI and his replacement in 1967 by one of his generals, Suharto (see Transition to the New Order), and he remained under house arrest until his death. He then mounted a social campaign known as De-Soekarnoization in an effort to reduce the former President's influence. Support for Suharto's presidency was strong throughout the 1970s and 1980s. By the 1990s, the New Order's authoritarianism and widespread corruption  were a source of discontent and, following a severe financial crisis, led to widespread unrest and his resignation in May 1998.

The War on Terror
Following the 9/11 attacks in the United States, Indonesia was designated as one of the countries with terrorist organizations operating in its rural areas. These terrorists, known as the Abu-Sayaff and the Jemaah Islamayah, have been responsible for several attacks in the Southeast Asia region. Cooperation with the United States, Australia, Malaysia, Singapore, and the Philippines was crucial for Indonesian counterterrorist forces. In 2002, East Timor became an independent country from Indonesia. The same year in October, Bali was attacked by Jemaah Islamayah which resulted in the death of 204 people, mostly Western tourists visiting the famous resort town.

Recent Times
While the country has no claim in the South China Sea dispute, the Natuna Islands lie on China's so-called "9-dash line." These islands also lie within the EEZ of Indonesia. Because of recent Chinese naval incursions, Indonesia has deployed several ships and anti-ship batteries to strengthen their sovereignty on the islands. Indonesia has also destroyed illegal fishing boats that enter its territorial waters.

Foreign Relations
Indonesia maintains close relations with the ASEAN member states and other countries in Asia. Despite having a significant Muslim population, Indonesia has good relations with the West, namely the United States, the UK, Australia, New Zealand, and Europe. The dispute with Borneo has somewhat complicated diplomatic relations with Malaysia and the Philippines.

Indonesia provided the Philippines with two strategic surface vessels and is expected to provide the country with more aerial assets. Despite having some conflict with China in terms of the Natuna Islands and the Chinese fishing vessels, China provides weapons to the Indonesian military.