This article describes there is a significant distinction between the development of diplomacy during the 19th and 20th century, which relies on the broader function of the non-state actors. Such a phenomenon is currently known as public diplomacy, in which all state government in the world employ this as a means to improve the country’s image. Public diplomacy is also considered as a soft power instrument of a country as the means of communication with the public of other countries pertaining to attitudes, institutions, cultures, national interests and policies of the country. Batik is an official cultural heritage of Indonesia declared by UNESCO as the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity on October 2, 2009. Declared as the official cultural heritage of Indonesia, Indonesian government perceived this as an instrument to widespread Indonesian batik culture within global world. This is particularly in accordance with the establishment of ASEAN Economic Community considered by Indonesian government as the opportunity to introduce and improve the benefits of a state economically, through the exports of batik to ASEAN countries.
Keywords: AEC, Public diplomacy, batik, soft power
