It began with the emergence of Srivijaya as Malay maritime kingdom (located in Sumatra Island) and the rise of the inland feudalistic kingdom Mataram in central Java. This development closely linked with the burgeoning trade along the maritime Silk Road network between India and China, between the Malay region and China, and intra-regional trade in Southeast Asia. One of the most significant factors in the rise of Srivijaya as the pre-eminent Southeast Asian maritime trading centre was its ruler’s political acumen: their ability both to consolidate their own Sumatran hinterland and to dominate rival ports and thus indirectly their hinterlands. This control enabled
Srivijaya to concentrate agricultural, forests, and ocean products of Indonesian archipelago in its own ports. Besides, Srivijaya also developed a political system which was based on loyalty and control toward trading resources (Manguin, 1993b). 34 The location of Srivijaya itself was actually not strategic as it was located far from the Straits of Malacca. By benefiting its fleet Srivijaya could finally control shipping and trade at the western part of the Indonesian archipelago. Besides, they were also able to protect their waters against piracy and possible attacks from other countries. It is very interesting that for the sake of its trade, Srivijaya acknowledged China as the protector.