Jakarta–Peking Axis

The Jakarta-Pyongyang-Peking axis was one form of implementation of Sukarno's foreign policy during the Guided Democracy era. Inaugurated in January 1965, the axis was a formulation of Soekarno's Indonesian foreign policy, which tended to be anti-Western and inclined towards communist countries, despite carrying out a free and active foreign policy.

This can be seen in Indonesia's confrontation with Malaysia. For Soekarno, the formation of the Malaysian federation was a form of Western imperialism in Asia. Therefore, when Malaysia was given a position as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), Indonesia declared its exit from the UN.

This further increased Indonesia's diplomatic isolation from other Asian-African countries. Therefore, through Soebandrio, Indonesia tried to solidify the Jakarta-Peking (Beijing) relationship. At that time, Premier Zhou Enlai offered to arm a people's militia called the Fifth Force. In this regard, the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI) led by D.N. Aidit urged the formation of the Fifth Force, whose members were recruited from urban workers and laborers, agricultural laborers, and armed rural poor peasants. Soekarno's Jakarta-Peking axis, supported by the PKI, also marked a change from Moscow's non-capitalist approach and peaceful coexistence policy towards that of staunch anti-imperialism and self-reliance according to Peking's ideas.

The conflict between Indonesia and Malaysia had drawn reactions from Britain and Australia, which supported Malaysia. After Lee Kuan Yew declared Singapore's separation from Malaysia on August 9, 1965, Soekarno further confirmed his strong belief in confrontation. To strengthen Indonesia's position along with other anti-imperialist countries, in a speech on the occasion of August 17, 1965, he announced the establishment of the Jakarta-Pyongyang-Peking axis. This axis was intended to break the 'Old Established Forces' (OLDEFOS) and rally the 'New Emerging Forces' (NEFOS).

The essence of Sukarno's idea is that the world is limited to two forces. The first is the power of imperialism and colonialism called OLDEFOS, while the second is the power of anti-imperialism and colonialism called NEFOS. If OLDEFOS is represented by western capitalist countries, then NEFOS is depicted by socialist countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. For Indonesia at the time, the politics of non-alignment is does not inherently mean the politics of neutralism. In essence of the belief of Sukarno, non-alignment is the embodiment of active itself, so that Indonesian diplomacy at that time was directed at placing Indonesia not as an object, but as a subject in international politics.

After the birth of the New Order in 1966, Indonesia's foreign policy radically changed. As a result of the attempted coup by the September 30th Movement (G30S) in 1965, relations between Indonesia and China were strained. In fact, the Indonesian Embassy in Beijing was closed for an indefinite period. Meanwhile, confrontation with Malaysia and Singapore was no longer considered appropriate. At that time, the originally confrontational political direction changed, and the Jakarta-Pyongyang-Peking axis ended.