JAKARTA: Indonesia won’t retaliate in opposition to US President Donald Trump’s 32 per cent commerce tariff on Southeast Asia’s largest economic system, its senior financial minister mentioned on Sunday (Apr 6) within the authorities’s first response to the levy.
Chief Financial Minister Airlangga Hartarto mentioned in a press release that Indonesia would pursue diplomacy and negotiations to search out mutually helpful options after Trump introduced sweeping world tariffs on Wednesday.
“The strategy was taken by contemplating the long-term curiosity of bilateral commerce relation, in addition to to take care of the funding local weather and nationwide financial stability,” Airlangga mentioned, including that Jakarta will assist doubtlessly impacted sectors, such because the attire and footwear trade.
Trump’s tariff on Indonesia, considered one of six hard-hit Southeast Asian international locations, is ready to take impact on Wednesday.
The Indonesian authorities will collect inputs from companies on Monday to assist formulate technique to handle the US tariff, and can discover methods to extend commerce with European international locations as an alternative choice to the US and China, Airlangga mentioned.
Jakarta has mentioned it could ship a high-level delegation to the US for direct negotiations with the federal government.
Indonesia posted a US$16.8 billion commerce surplus final yr with the US, which was its third-biggest export vacation spot, receiving shipments value US$26.3 billion in 2024, based on Indonesian authorities knowledge.
Indonesia’s important exports to the US embrace electronics, attire and clothes, and footwear.
