Jakarta: Indonesia should remain firm against recent requests from the United States to withdraw A wide series of business practices Washington considers unfairsaid experts, arguing that some of these policies are necessary to protect the greatest economy in Southeast Asia interests.
These so-called “commercial barriers” were identified in a report by the American commercial representative (USTR) March 31 Detail factors prevent US companies from entering the Indonesian market.
The report on the estimation of the national trade of 2025 (NTE) on obstacles to foreign trade was used as one of the bases of the American president Donald Trump to impose a planned rate of 32% on Indonesian products.
The USTR leads technical negotiations with various countries, including Indonesia in the middle the price threat.
Among the obstacles mentioned by the report are the protection of copyright protection laws, rampant corruption and too complicated bureaucracy that have been concerned for many companies operating in Indonesia, belonging to the United States or otherwise.
However, experts noted that The USTR list includes policies that should not be considered commercial barriers.
These include Indonesia's efforts to develop its own cash payment system and those that Indonesia needs to protect its own national interests such as import quotas and requirements for certain components to be produced locally before a product can be sold in Indonesia.
“We need some of these policies to protect our own manufacturing sector, stimulate investment and stimulate our economy. It will be unreasonable for Indonesia to respond to all these requests (from the United States), “said Tauhid Ahmad, CNA economist based in Jakarta for the development of the economy and finance (Indef).
Without these policies, the archipelago might risk losing massive quantities of foreign investment, higher unemployment and even A Recession, warn the experts.
In the past two weeksSeveral senior Indonesian officials have met their American counterparts to the sidelines of an international monetary fund and a summit of the World Bank group in Washington DC, to negotiate the proposed 32% tariffs that the United States wishes to impose on Indonesia.
These prices have been suspended for 90 days Since April 9, as well as other “reciprocal” prices on imports from nearly 60 countries. The reference rate of 10% on all countries is still in place.
The Coordination of the Minister of Economy, Airlanga Hartarto, who directed the Indonesian delegation, said that Indonesia was willing to negotiate these commercial obstacles in addition to buying billions of dollars of American products, in exchange for a lower price.
“In principle, what Indonesia offers … is appreciated by America,” Airlangga told journalists on Monday. The Minister refused to develop more but promised that any agreement between the two countries would be a “win-win solution”.
