Prabowo Cancels China Visit to Monitor Domestic Tensions
Key Takeaways
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JAKARTA, Investortrust.id — President Prabowo Subianto has canceled his planned visit to Beijing in early September 2025, deciding instead to remain in Indonesia to monitor rising domestic tensions following a series of mass demonstrations that turned deadly.
The visit to China had included a scheduled meeting with President Xi Jinping and attendance at a military parade in Beijing on Wednesday, Sept 3.
Minister of State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi, who also serves as presidential spokesperson, said on Saturday night, Aug 30, that Prabowo decided not to attend the event after assessing the volatile situation in several Indonesian cities.
“Due to dynamics at home, the President wants to monitor directly, lead directly, and seek the best solutions,” Prasetyo said in a statement released by the Presidential Secretariat. He added that Prabowo expressed “humble apologies” to the Chinese government for his absence.
Balancing Domestic Priorities and International Engagement
Prasetyo noted that Prabowo had initially considered accepting the Chinese invitation, but the President also weighed other upcoming international commitments. These included a speech at the 80th United Nations General Assembly in New York on Sept 23, 2025.
“Several invitations are scheduled for September, one of them being the UN annual meeting in New York. This became part of his considerations,” Prasetyo explained.
President Xi invited Prabowo along with 25 other world leaders, including North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin, to attend the military parade marking the 80th anniversary of China’s victory in the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the global antifascist war.
Rising Domestic Pressures
The decision to remain in Indonesia reflects mounting domestic challenges. Protests that began on Aug 25 in several cities escalated after a violent clash in Jakarta on Thursday, Aug 28.
During that demonstration, a 21-year-old motorcycle taxi driver, Affan Kurniawan, was killed after being run over by a Barracuda armored vehicle of the Mobile Brigade Corps (Brimob) police unit in Bendungan Hilir, Central Jakarta.
The protests were initially triggered by public outrage over lawmakers’ monthly housing allowances, widely perceived as excessive. Demonstrators later expanded their demands to include accountability for police brutality. Mass actions spread to major cities including Makassar, Bandung, Solo, Semarang, Surabaya, and Yogyakarta.
Prabowo had earlier offered condolences both in person—by visiting Affan’s family—and via social media, pledging that authorities would be held accountable for excessive force.
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