We basically have been paying them to be friendly to us since the mid 1960's that I'm aware off.
There was a theory that if we trained there military officer’s in Canberra, with the hope that they would look favourably to us, as the assumption was these officers will usually get into politics.
We gave them military equipment and also mapped Indonesia as part off foreign aid…Aust military personal who attended schools as part of public relations noted that these kids were still taught that northern Aust. Is part of Indonesia.
Indonesia also joined other ASEAN countries to force our politicians to alter our demographics if Australia wish to trade with them. Australia had to become more Asian if we wish to trade with them!
The Freedom Bridge funded by Aust between Vietnam and Cambodia, it’s aim was eith the hope that these SE Asian countries would trade with us, not with the threat based on placing racial duress!
