Jakarta – The race for control over the world’s critical mineral supply between the United States and China has ushered in a new chapter of global geopolitical competition, often referred to as “The New Great Game.” To explore how resource-rich countries in the Asia-Pacific are navigating this strategic rivalry, Publish What You Pay (PWYP) Indonesia, in collaboration with Young Professionals in Foreign Policy (YPFP) Global, organized an international webinar titled “The New Great Game: How the Asia-Pacific Navigates the US–China Critical Mineral Frontier” on Friday (22 May 2026).
Designed as an interactive forum for young foreign policy professionals from around the world, the webinar was moderated by Aryanto Nugroho, National Coordinator of PWYP Indonesia. The discussion featured four distinguished international experts from diverse disciplines: Charlotte Boyer (Global Governance and Accountability Specialist at the Natural Resource Governance Institute/NRGI), Nazik Imanbekova (Global Board Member of the Resource Justice Network/RJN from Kyrgyzstan), Dr. Patricia Rinwigati Waagstein (Business and Human Rights expert at the University of Indonesia), and Rachel Zhou (Founder of Reach Advisory International).
Moving Beyond the Narrative of Great Power Competition
The trade and political rivalry between the United States—through various protectionist measures and green industrial incentives—and China—through its dominance of downstream supply chains and investments under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)—has significantly shaped the direction of the global energy transition. Nevertheless, throughout the discussion, PWYP Indonesia emphasized that countries in the Global South, particularly Indonesia as the world’s largest nickel producer, should not be viewed merely as passive actors or commodity suppliers.
In his closing remarks, Aryanto Nugroho underscored that resource-rich developing countries are not chessboards on which great powers compete, and that local communities should never be treated as collateral damage in pursuit of global economic growth.
“Countries in the Global South, both their state institutions and their people, possess the full right to self-determination. The fundamental question today is no longer which side or geopolitical bloc we should choose, but whether our own people and our ecological future remain at the center of these policy decisions,” Aryanto stressed.
Multi-Stakeholder Perspectives: Transparency, Infrastructure, Law, and ESG
The panel discussion combined empirical evidence and diverse perspectives from the speakers. Charlotte Boyer (NRGI) opened the session by presenting visual data on global mineral trade flows and emphasized that transparency and compliance with international standards such as the 2023 EITI Standard are essential safeguards against corruption risks in this emerging critical mineral frontier.
Rachel Zhou offered insights from the perspective of Chinese companies. Drawing on the latest investment data, she outlined China’s dominant position in downstream mineral processing and explained how Beijing’s long-term policy approach has provided stability to global supply chains amid political volatility in many Western countries.
Meanwhile, Dr. Patricia Rinwigati Waagstein examined the challenges of legal enforcement and the protection of social rights across the Asia-Pacific region. She highlighted the complexities faced by countries seeking to balance large-scale foreign investment with compliance with human rights standards and robust environmental due diligence requirements. Complementing this perspective, Nazik Imanbekova (RJN) shared lessons from the Eurasian region on logistical connectivity challenges and emphasized the importance of building strong social dialogue based on public trust at the local level to ensure that the energy transition does not trigger social conflict.
Advancing Sovereignty and Realistic Policymaking
The webinar also featured a policy simulation session that challenged young professionals to address real-world dilemmas involving economic investment, environmental protection, and national sovereignty. The forum concluded that sound public policy must be grounded in realities on the ground rather than promises made on paper.
PWYP Indonesia’s active participation as a co-host of this global forum reaffirmed the coalition’s commitment to advancing resource justice at the international level. Moving forward, PWYP Indonesia and its global partners will continue advocating for the realization of the government’s strategic autonomy agenda through stronger protection of affected communities, greater beneficial ownership transparency, and meaningful human rights safeguards for people living on the frontlines of the critical mineral extraction sector. (AN)