Hello, Kawan HI! Over the past week, various international developments have made headlines, ranging from the 2026 Asian Games, security developments in the Arctic region, to diplomatic tensions and conflicts in Asia.
The 2026 Asian Games officially opened in Nagoya, Japan, with athletes from 45 countries and territories participating. Emperor Naruhito of Japan officially opened the 16-day sporting event, which will run until October 4 and feature 43 sports.
In the Arctic region, the United States and Denmark reached an agreement on the security of Greenland after months of tensions following President Donald Trump’s threats to take over the territory. The agreement is expected to strengthen security in Greenland and the Arctic region while continuing to recognize Denmark’s sovereignty and the right of the people of Greenland to self-determination.
Developments in relations between the United States and its allies were also seen in Europe. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney called on middle powers to strengthen cooperation with Europe amid tensions with the United States. The European Union is also considering Canada as an associate member to strengthen cooperation in defense, energy, and technology.
Meanwhile, diplomatic tensions between Iran and Sweden have resurfaced. Iran ordered a Swedish diplomat to leave the country within 48 hours after Sweden expelled an Iranian diplomat from Stockholm over activities deemed inconsistent with the Vienna Convention. Iran described the decision as unfounded and accused Sweden of pursuing a harmful policy.
In Asia, tensions in the South China Sea resurfaced after a Chinese Coast Guard vessel collided with a Philippine government vessel. The Philippines said the Chinese vessel made a dangerous maneuver before colliding with the BRP Datu Magat Salamat, while China denied the accusation and blamed the Philippine vessel for the incident.
In terms of Indonesia’s relations with other countries, the Indonesian Embassy in London held a diplomatic reception commemorating the 81st anniversary of Indonesia’s independence, attended by more than 200 guests from the government, parliament, business sector, academia, and Indonesian communities. The event showcased Indonesian culture through songket, tumpeng, traditional dances, and sasando music, while also strengthening Indonesia–United Kingdom relations toward 2045.
Meanwhile, regional cooperation was also evident in efforts to address forest and land fires in Indonesia. The Indonesian government officially accepted assistance from Malaysia to tackle forest and land fires in Sumatra and Kalimantan. The assistance included one aircraft, three helicopters, and 52 firefighting personnel.
Sources:
“Asian Games opens in Japan”. NHK World Japan. 20 September 2026. https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/news/20260920de51342/.
Iswara, Aditya Jaya. “Indonesia Izinkan Malaysia Bantu Padamkan Karhutla, Ada 3 Heli dan 1 Pesawat”. Kompas.com. 20 September 2026. https://internasional.kompas.com/read/2026/09/20/080000670/indonesia-izinkan-malaysia-bantu-padamkan-karhutla-ada-3-heli-dan-1.
Kamiar, Babak. “Iran expels Swedish diplomat in tit-for-tat after Stockholm’s move”. Euro News. 17 September 2026. https://www.euronews.com/2026/09/17/iran-expels-swedish-diplomat-in-tit-for-tat-after-stockholm-move.
Mustaqim, Andika Hendra. “Kedubes RI di London Gelar Diplomasi Budaya, dari Songket hingga Tabola Bale”. SindoNews. 19 september 2026. https://international.sindonews.com/read/1751607/41/kedubes-ri-di-london-gelar-diplomasi-budaya-dari-songket-hingga-tabola-bale-1789819749?showpage=all#goog_rewarded.
O’Connell, Oliver., Max matza., dan Adrienne Murray. “Nato welcomes Greenland deal as Trump says it will give US ‘permanent security control’”. BBC. 20 September 2026. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c63d7lexyym1o.
Reuters. “Chinese ship rams Philippines gov’t vessel in South China Sea: Coastguard”. Aljazeera. 18 September 2026. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/9/18/chinese-ship-rams-philippines-govt-vessel-in-south-china-sea-coastguard.
Smith, Alexander. “Canada and E.U. seek ‘middle powers’ alliance to counter Trump threats”. 17 September 2026. NBC News. https://www.nbcnews.com/world/europe/mark-carney-eu-plot-middle-power-alliance-counter-trump-threats-rcna598284.