TRANSCRIPT:
James Carouso: We can’t just allow one point of view, even in a country with a democratic and largely unfettered media, because where’s the media getting their information from? Most Indonesian media is not very well funded. They will go where it’s easy to get news and make headlines. China is very good at exploiting these gaps. And the United States, despite the efforts of our public diplomacy at the U.S. embassy, without a voice to give the information straight and accurate, there’s only one foreign country really working to get the information out there.
At the confirmation hearing for USAGM CEO candidate Sarah B. Rogers in late July, several lawmakers stated that the reduction from 40+ language broadcasts to fewer than a dozen was “far from sufficient” to counter foreign adversaries, noting that key countries targeted by these adversaries are no longer being reached, including Indonesia, which has become a hotbed for Chinese media.
Sen. Chris Van Hollen: “I’m looking at an article here, Wall Street Journal article here from July of last year, just months after the president’s executive order. Headline: ‘China gets more airtime around the world as Voice of America signs off.’ Subheading: ‘Chinese state media has expanded its reach from Indonesia to Nigeria after Trump’s March order to dismantle U.S. government-funded outlet.��”
Sen. Van Hollen: “Yeah, I would argue the same is true of much of East Asia. I know that you’ve had languages restored in Korea and Mandarin, but as this Wall Street Journal article points out, Indonesia, for example, has been sort of left out. That a big and critical and important country, and it seems to me that the United States should have its voice airing there and providing factual information.”
Carouso: In my experience in Indonesia, which of course is the fourth largest country by population, [has] rapidly growing GDP, possesses many important critical minerals and is an important part of the geostrategic framework to secure Southeast Asia for the West.
I have seen Chinese influence growing. They are investing huge amounts in Indonesian infrastructure. They are investing in Chinese language. We are unilaterally disarming in the media and public relations, and space for the minds, of this huge country that’s so important to the U.S. strategic interests, economic interests, and the world interests.
I encourage our members of the Senate and the Voice of America to continue to reestablish the Voice of America’s Indonesia Service to get the American news out there. It’s vital that we have a voice.
You know, we’ve learned from the Strait of Hormuz what happens when vital sea lanes are closed. Well, for Indonesia, they help control the Strait of Malacca. They help control the Lombok Strait. This is critical for global trade. So, if [we] create a situation where free trade can’t take place through these choke points, we can see what happens.
You know as a diplomat, I learned the importance of using all elements of national power in our efforts and foreign policy, and that includes using media to help influence and inform other countries. By not having a Bahasa language VOA [service] or other means to reach Bahasa speakers, we are, as I said, not using all elements of national power. We are, in fact, cutting off an arm of that effort. So, you know, maybe we don’t need a VOA language in certain small countries, but one that’s important and large as Indonesia, I can’t understand why it wouldn’t be worthwhile to do.
Published
Carouso is a retired U.S. diplomat whose 25-year Foreign Service career focused on East Asia and the Pacific. He served in senior roles at U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, the U.S. Embassy in Canberra, and the U.S. Mission to ASEAN, among others.