1 week ago
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Jakarta, VIVA – The President of the United States has officially imposed a reciprocal import tariff of 32% on Indonesia, calculated from a base tariff of 10% that previously applied to all countries.
This policy will come into effect on April 9, 2025, and is expected to significantly impact the competitiveness of Indonesian exports to the US.
Chairman of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin), Anindya Bakrie, emphasized that US President Donald Trump’s decision on import tariffs for Indonesian products is not the end of bilateral trade relations.
He referred to the policy as an “opening statement” that is still open to negotiation.
“The door for negotiation remains open. Indonesia holds a strategic position in the Pacific region, both as a key part of the ASEAN economy and as a member of APEC. This gives us leverage in our negotiations with the US,” Bakrie said on Friday (Apr 4).
According to him, Indonesia must prepare strategic steps, including intensive communication with the US government and sending a high-level delegation to Washington, DC, for direct talks.
Bakrie also highlighted the importance of working with ASEAN countries in response to the US tariff policy.
Kadin supports the Indonesian government's efforts to communicate with Malaysia, which currently holds the ASEAN Chairmanship, to take collective action.
“We will engage in in-depth discussions with our partners in ASEAN as well as the APEC Business Advisory Council to protect regional business interests,” he said.
Kadin chairman also emphasized the need for a figure who could act as a temporary ambassador to the US in order to strengthen bilateral communication, while waiting for the official appointment of a new ambassador.
As another effort, Kadin Indonesia plans to leverage its strong ties with the US Chamber of Commerce.
“President Prabowo Subianto’s visit to the US in November 2024 was an important moment for Kadin to build a business cooperation foundation between both countries. We plan to follow up on this cooperation during a visit to the US in early May,” he added.
To anticipate the potential impact of the 32% US import tariff, Anindya stressed the need to diversify export markets.
“Indonesia must begin expanding its market reach to Central Asia, Turkey, Europe, Africa, and Latin America. That way, we won’t be overly dependent on the US,” he explained.
Additionally, Kadin supports the government's move to review trade policies and clarify the US’s allegations related to Indonesian tariffs.
"We fully support forming a special team for clarification and negotiation. We need to ensure whether the allegations that led to the tariffs are actually valid,” Bakrie asserted.
He also stressed the importance of maintaining domestic economic stability by preventing potential layoffs resulting from reduced exports to the US.
“The Trump policy should be used as a momentum to improve our investment climate and attract more foreign investment,” he concluded.
Halaman Selanjutnya
Kadin supports the Indonesian government's efforts to communicate with Malaysia, which currently holds the ASEAN Chairmanship, to take collective action.
