Indonesia, United States agree to continue tariff negotiations

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The governments of Indonesia and the United States have agreed to continue bilateral talks on the 32-percent tariff imposed on Indonesian products for the next three weeks to reach a mutually beneficial solution.

“Indonesia and the US share the same view on the progressive nature of our negotiations. Going forward, we will continue striving to reach a mutually beneficial deal,” Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto noted in a statement received here on Thursday.

He led the Indonesian delegation in a meeting with US Trade Secretary Howard Lutnick and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer in Washington D.C. on Wednesday (July 9).

“This meeting constitutes a crucial step in our efforts to bolster trade cooperation between Indonesia and the United States,” Hartarto emphasized.

He highlighted that Indonesia is among the first countries with which the US agreed to continue tariff talks after President Donald Trump officially announced his decision to maintain the 32-percent import duties on Indonesian products on July 7.

The minister then underlined that the continuation of negotiations reflects both countries’ strong commitment to maintaining robust bilateral trade ties.

During Wednesday’s meeting, the Indonesian government expressed appreciation to the Trump administration for the constructive rounds of negotiations, which began following the first announcement of reciprocal tariffs in April.

Jakarta and Washington, he continued, have been exchanging views on tariff and non-tariff trade barriers, the digital economy, economic security, and cooperation in trade and investment.

“The US has shown strong interest in elevating its partnership in critical minerals, as Indonesia holds abundant reserves of nickel, copper, and cobalt. It is in our interest too to tap into this cooperation potential,” he pointed out.

The Indonesian delegation included officials from the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs, including Deputy Coordinator for Economic and Investment Cooperation Coordination Edi Prio Pambudi and Deputy Coordinator for Trade and Digital Economy Coordination Ali Murtopo.