Chinese Investments and Labor Struggles in Indonesia

[english] – This podcast is part of the online discussion series China and the Left.

Announcement: Indonesia is a central partner of China’s Belt and Road Initiative. In recent years, more than 1,000 Chinese state-owned and private companies have invested in Indonesia. A central aim of China’s investment strategy is securing the supply of raw materials and primary products for its manufacturing sector. One example is the IMIP (Indonesia Morowali Industrial Park) in Central Sulawesi where Chinese and Indonesia capital employ tens of thousands of workers from China and Indonesia in the processing of nickel ore and the production of steel products. At the beginning of this online event, Alfian Al-Ayubby speaks about the situation in the IMIP production facilities: How is the composition of the labor force? How is the work divided? What are the working conditions like? Then Y. Wasi Gede Puraka talks about the workers’ reactions: How do workers deal with the conditions? How do they organize? What happens during their strikes? The subsequent discussion will also address Chinese investments in other parts of Indonesia and conflicts between Chinese and local capital factions.

Sponsors: gongchao.org, Made in China Journal, positions politics, and Critical China Scholars.