Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesia expressed its continued commitment to establishing cooperation in the economic and trade sectors with all countries, including the United States, amid the ongoing trade war.
Spokesperson of the Foreign Affairs Ministry, Rolliansyah Soemirat, said that this commitment is reflected in the various bilateral communications established so far, both at the ministerial level and through the ambassadors of each country in Jakarta and Washington D.C.
"All of them display an agreement to strengthen cooperation between countries to be mutually beneficial, including but not limited to the trade sector," he added at a media briefing on Thursday.
He conveyed this in response to questions on the possible impact of the US trade war under President Donald Trump's administration on Indonesia.
According to Soemirat, the plan to strengthen cooperation was also agreed upon by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sugiono, and the US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, in a telephone conversation earlier this year.
"Strengthening the strategic partnership cooperation between the two countries will also continue in various cooperation between the two countries," he added.
He also promised that the ministry will continue to work with other technical ministries to ensure that Indonesia's foreign economic policy remains responsive to global dynamics.
This is considered important to ensure national economic growth goes hand in hand with the dynamics of the international economy and trade, he said.
Earlier, in their telephonic conversation on January 22, 2025, Minister Sugiono and Secretary Rubio discussed bilateral cooperation, as well as efforts to strengthen security in the Indo-Pacific region.
In a written statement issued by the US Department of State on January 23, the department's spokesperson Tammy Bruce said that the two ministers recognized the importance of strengthening bilateral cooperation to bolster trade and investment relations in areas that benefit both countries.
"The two ministers also expressed a shared determination to prioritize national economic growth," he added.
