International Cooperation in Sister Province and Sister City Scheme

Background

The influence or effect of globalization has brought forth rapid development which almost happens in all aspects of human lives, especially in producing a various form of cooperation in the world. This matter is particularly influenced by the tendency of awareness that each nation’s Country in the world cannot forever rely on its country’s local potential to meet its necessities, but it can be met by another Country through cooperation. In line with the development of such cooperation, new actors such as Regional Government emerge. If all this time the cooperation was initially conducted between a Central Government of a Country, then at the moment, Regional Government is also able to actively participate in foreign cooperation, this is the basis of the formation of partnership among regional government (sister province as well as a sister city).

In relation to that, the government has declared Law Number 37 year 1999 concerning Foreign Affairs and Law Number 24 year 2000 concerning the International Agreement. Both legal instruments mark the opening of a new paradigm that gives possibilities for regions to enter into relationship and cooperation with a foreign party or overseas. In addition to that, with the execution of regional autonomy, it has opened the opportunity of regional participation as one of the components in establishing foreign relationship and cooperation. In addition to that, just like a country in the middle of the global system, a country is deemed ineffective and inefficient with its effort of interacting with its numerous partners.

The existence of regional autonomy policy demands regional government to be more independent, not always dependent on the central government. This encourages regional government to develop its region’s potential, both in the form of natural potential as well as human resources, to maximize the region’s native income in order to carry out development to improve the people’s standard of living. The means is by entering into cooperation with another autonomous region. Not only the cooperation among autonomous regions in Indonesia but also cooperation with regions (province, regency, city) overseas. The form of such cooperation is realized in the form of international agreement to cooperate with each other, either in the form sister province or sister city cooperation.

Special Region of Yogyakarta and Surabaya City also do not want to miss out the opportunity to build international cooperation in the form of sister province and sister city cooperation as an instrument to grab an existing opportunity. The cooperation between the Government of DIY with equivalent Government overseas, which is well-known with the term Sister Province, is carried out on the basis of mandate given by the Central Government. This is in line with the principals of handing out matters to Regions, as stipulated in the prevailing laws and regulations, i.e. Circular Letter of the Minister of Home Affairs Number: 193/1652/PUOD, dated 26 April 1993, re.: The Procedure of Establishing Relationship of Cooperation of Sister Province and Sister City both Domestic and Foreign.

One of the Sister Province cooperation which is carried out by the Government of Special Region of Yogyakarta, is with Kyoto Prefecture, Japan. Cooperation between both parties has been established for a long time, since 16 July 1985 to be exact, until now. This long-established cooperation has grown mutual understanding and ability to grow friendship for both parties, which, among others, is one of the benefits that arise out of the establishment of Sister Province cooperation.

Meanwhile, Surabaya City carries out cooperation with Kochi City and has signed a memorandum of understanding on 17 April 1997, by agreeing on the fields of cooperation. Every five years, both cities extend the cooperation by signing the agreement. Since the MoU was signed in 1997, it is recorded that the Government of Surabaya City and the Government of Kochi City had two times conducted agreement signing, in 1997 (1st Period of 1997-2001) and in the year 2002 (2nd Period of 2002-2006). However, after the second period there is no more agreement signing because it will continue to proceed automatically.

There is a very interesting thing from the sister province relationship of Yogyakarta and Kyoto, which is both cities are cultural city. There is a demand for needs from each region in developing its potential, the Government of DIY realizes that Kyoto has deeper experience in managing the region’s potential. Similarities in both provinces also support the relationship of this Sister Province cooperation, i.e. both provinces used to be a national capital city and also both regions have values of the fighting spirit. In addition to that, both are known as tourism destination regions and as provinces which still uphold culture and traditions. While Surabaya-Kochi has several industrial centers. According to geographical location, Surabaya is located in the east of Indonesia and Kochi is in the Shikoku Island, middle of Japan. Both cities have a strategic port, which makes them active trading cities in international world trade.

The sister province and sister city cooperation between DIY- Kyoto and Surabaya-Kochi for years have experienced dynamics, be it up and down during its period. The writer argues that this cooperation was started with a similar interest and potential owned by both cities in Indonesia and Japan. Therefore, the cooperation can carry on until today and causes ease in developing cooperation. Throughout this cooperation, the sister province and sister city cooperation between DIY- Kyoto and Surabaya-Kochi has obtained an achievement or result from such cooperation. Then, enhancement of the cooperation is carried out by both parties to collectively improve the cooperation in economic and social aspect. In the economic and cultural aspect, the cooperation is highly active and developed well. Cooperation in cultural and educational aspect has improved much from year to year. Both cities agree to continue to play an active role in developing human resources through capacity building, student exchange and also cultural show. Because by this means, a good relationship can be made between both cities and also give a positive impact on Indonesia-Japan diplomatic relationship.

Problems Formulation

Based on the Background presented above, problems can be formulated as follows :

1. Why do the Government of Yogyakarta and Surabaya cooperate with Kyoto and Kochi?
2. How is the impact of the relationship of Yogyakarta-Kyoto and Surabaya-Kochi sister province and sister city on the economic life in Yogyakarta as well as Surabaya?
3. What differentiates the cooperation between Yogyakarta-Kyoto with Surabaya-Kochi?

Purpose of the Research

The purpose of the writer in doing this research is as follow:

• To know the reason about the cooperation relationship between DIY-Kyoto (sister province) and Surabaya-Kochi (sister city) in Japan.
• To obtain depiction on the impact of cooperation relationship among provinces as well as the cities which both parties have done on economy and culture in Yogyakarta and Surabaya.
• To know clearly and differentiate the type of cooperation that have been carried out by DIY-Kyoto (sister province) and Surabaya-Kochi (sister city) in Japan.

Theoretical Basis

The Concept of Sister Province and Sister City

Conceptually, sister province and sister city are a concept of cooperation or friendship program between two provinces and cities cross country that aim to improve economic growth, establish understanding and build friendship through exchanges of culture, education, and human resources, as an effort to create peace. The cooperation of sister province and sister city can be carried out if both parties have equal administrative status level. This cooperation must also have clear purpose and activity program mission to build the region independently and faster for the sake of the region’s welfare. In addition to that, this cooperation can also be carried out as long as it does not break any prevailing laws and still maintain the existing rate of political stability. It is so with the cooperation between Yogyakarta-Kyoto which cooperate in the province level and Surabaya-Kochi which administratively have the same level.

The sister province and sister city cooperation in Indonesia have emerged since 1970s. With various motivation in the commencement of such cooperation, the primary is due to being encouraged by similarities, for instance both are national capital cities, for example Jakarta has conducted lots of cooperation with numerous national capital cities because both are national capitals. In 1980s, international cooperation in the form of sister province and sister city spread increasingly. In 2004, it was recorded that a total of approximately 100 international cooperation in the form of sisterhood had been recorded in the Department of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia. In the existing record, probably less than 15% of such cooperation were carried out well, and less than 20% performed adequately and the rest of more than 65% almost did not carry out any activities.[footnoteRef:1] [1: Explanation of volume 4 number 8 October 2009 edition]

The Concept of Rational Choice

In its development, international cooperation is done in numerous regions in Indonesia because it aims to develop its own regional potential. What is done by these regions is a rational choice. According to Coleman, the theory of rational choice has two underlying elements, which are actor and resources. The definition of resource is an object that can attract the attention of an actor and can be influenced by the actor.

Based on the exposition of the theory of rational choice above, it can be concluded that actor and resources are highly influential in the implementation of the theory in social lives. Yogyakarta and Surabaya (Indonesia) and Kyoto and Kochi (Japan) are actors who have actions of controlling the resources owned respectively in the form of culture, tourism, technology and urban planning in order to attract other parties (in this case among Government). Next, the resources controlled by both cooperation partners will cause both cities to be dependent toward one another. In addition to that, the rational choice theory also explains that each actor has a purpose to realize his interest in establishing the cooperation of the provinces or twin cities. The cooperation of sister province and sister city between Yogyakarta-Kyoto and Surabaya-Kochi is one of the collaborative effort between the Government of Yogyakarta and Surabaya to maximize the resources owned by Kyoto Prefecture and Kochi City as a form of realization of interests.

The concept of Paradigm Diplomacy

Paradigm diplomacy is a phenomenon and a new subject in the Science of International Relationship. Paradigm diplomacy refers to something which can be described as “the capacity of foreign policy” of regional government which independently able to connect with international party to realize its region’s interests (Wolff, 2007). Paradigm diplomacy emerges as a result of the presence of globalization era. In this era, not only Country which is able to “play” in the scene of International Relationship, but new actors emerge especially regional government. The presence of regional government gives its own color hence it is expected that it could accelerate the process of development and welfare of a Country.

Paradigm diplomacy appears as a theory that connects the behavior of sub-national actors to participate in International Relationship. Based on its characteristics, Yogyakarta-Kyoto and Surabaya-Kochi is the political representative in overseas that have the power to make policy and exchange information in order to ease each other’s interests. The Government of Yogyakarta Province and the Government of Surabaya City have an independent authority to cooperate with sub-national actor outside the Country’s border without the interference of Central Government. In addition to being more efficient, the policy is very helpful for the four regions, especially to be out of the problems coped and accelerate the development of the region independently.

Research Methodology

The methodology used in this research is qualitative method and this research is descriptive which means it depicts or outlines the result of the observation (the observation of symptoms, events and actual condition). Hence, the research report will be in the form of data quotations to give depiction on the presentation of the report. Such data may come from interview scripts, letters, and photo as well as video.

The Qualitative research method is selected in this research because it is thought to correspond with the existing problem. The Researcher tries to enter into the conceptual world of the subjects being researched so that the researcher can understand what and how an understanding will be developed. This research uses data gathering technique, namely observation, interview and literature study. An observation which is an examination that aim to obtain data on a problem, hence an understanding is gained or as a tool to crosscheck or proof on information also explanation obtained before. While interviewing is a conversation that becomes a means to obtain information about other people, with the purpose of explanation or understanding about the person in certain matters.