Global Creative Economy Development: Study of West Java's Efforts through Para diplomacy Instruments

Abstract

The limited ability of the central government to meet regional needs has encouraged regional governments to establish foreign relations through paradiplomacy with other actors in a competitive manner in the era of globalization. The unlimited opportunities from foreign sources also attract local governments to optimally utilize them to meet regional needs. One of the leading regional governments in Indonesia that is actively carrying out paradiplomacy is the West Java Provincial Government. In the midst of the disruption of Covid-19 and the Digital Revolution, the creative economy has emerged as a factual potential for strong and sustainable economic growth as well as disclosure opportunities for innovation and new jobs availabilities. West Java, as the largest GDP contributor to the national creative economy, is committed to making the creative economy as one of the future prospects for the regional economic sector. This research aims to examine the efforts of the West Java Provincial Government in developing the creative economy through Paradiplomacy practices. This research uses qualitative methods by collecting data through interviews with a number of relevant informants, documentation studies, literature studies and internet-based studies. By using the concepts of paradiplomacy and creative economy.  This research found that the West Java Provincial Government's paradiplomacy in developing the creative economy was carried out through visits, bilateral meetings and international forums as an important forum for representatives of West Java Province to interact with various foreign actors, as well as explore opportunities collaboration and cooperation that can accelerate regional development, especially in the creative economy in the fashion, craft and culinary sectors as advantages of the creative economy for West Java. This research also shows that paradiplomacy is an instrument to achieving the economic interests of the national government in a unitary state like Indonesia.