Indonesian President Cancels China Visit Amid Widespread Protests and Violence

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has called off his scheduled trip to China amid growing unrest and protests spreading beyond Jakarta. The president was expected to attend China’s "Victory Day" parade on September 3, commemorating 80 years since the end of World War Two. However, escalating demonstrations and regional turmoil compelled him to remain in Indonesia.

The protests, which mark the first significant challenge to Prabowo's administration since taking office nearly a year ago, began in Jakarta earlier this week in response to grievances concerning lawmakers’ salaries. The situation deteriorated following a fatal incident where a police vehicle struck a motorcyclist.

"The president wishes to monitor the situation in Indonesia personally and explore the most effective solutions," presidential spokesperson Prasetyo Hadi stated in a video message on Saturday. "He regrets to inform the Chinese government that he cannot attend the invitation."

In addition to the unrest, Prasetyo cited the upcoming United Nations General Assembly session in September as another factor influencing the cancellation.

The government’s concerns over the protests also prompted social media platforms such as TikTok, owned by China’s ByteDance, to temporarily suspend live streaming features in Indonesia. This follows a government summons for representatives of TikTok and Meta Platforms Inc. to enforce stricter content moderation amid accusations that disinformation on social media has exacerbated the unrest.

Violence intensified on Saturday with fires reported at regional parliament buildings in West Nusa Tenggara, Pekalongan city (Central Java), and Cirebon city (West Java). Local authorities responded with tear gas to disperse demonstrators. In Makassar, South Sulawesi’s capital, three individuals died in an arson attack on a provincial parliament building, with several others injured trying to escape the blaze, according to the national disaster management agency.

Protests also spread to Bali, where law enforcement used tear gas to control crowds. Meanwhile, Jakarta saw the looting of a lawmaker’s residence—Ahmad Sahroni of the NasDem party—amid anger over perceived legislative insensitivity. Sahroni had reportedly insulted critics of parliamentarians’ allowances, calling them "the stupidest people in the world."

These developments underscore a volatile political climate as Indonesia grapples with increasing public discontent and political tensions.