Editor's note: China's Road and Belt Initiative could bring together rising regional powers of Australia, India and Indonesia, into a viable framework of tangible economic and political cooperation, The Jakarta Post said. Here are the excerpts.

Chinese President Xi Jinping (4th L) meets with Indonesian President Joko Widodo in Jakarta, Indonesia, April 22, 2015. [Photo/Xinhua]

The idea of a maritime silk road brings together rising Asian powers into a viable framework of tangible economic and political cooperation. Moreover, while there is no official Chinese reference to the “string of pearls” theory, the maritime silk route seems to be pushed forth by the top leadership.

These initiatives are essentially a wake-up call for the three principal players and stakeholders in the Indian Ocean — Australia, India and Indonesia. They have shown a meager sense of commitment for cooperation under the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA), and the modalities of cooperation remain highly underdeveloped.

The Jakarta Post, February 25, 2015

This commentary was originally published on The Jakarta Post. Click here to read the full article.