Zulhas Allows TikTok To Cooperate With Tokopedia As Long As They Follow The Rules

Minister of Trade Zulkifli Hasan. (Photo: Aris Nurjani/VOI)

JAKARTA - Trade Minister Zulkifli Hasan (Zulhas) has opened his voice regarding ByteDance Ltd's subsidiary, TikTok, which is reportedly establishing investment cooperation with Tokopedia for online shopping services in Indonesia.

Zulhas said the cooperation was allowed if TikTok cooperated with Tokopedia as long as it met the applicable rules and regulations.

"Cooperation is permissible, it's okay. Foreign industries, if they cooperate with the local community, they can," he said when he finished the launch of the White Book, the National Strategy for the Development of Indonesia's Digital Economy 2030, Wednesday, December 6.

However, Zulhas said, until now TikTok has not taken care of new permits for e-commerce businesses related to the TikTok Shop service.

The TikTok Shop service has been closed since October 2023.

"No, nothing. Eggak takes care of new permits, nothing. But cooperation can, for example, be local," he added.

According to Zulhas, the government does not prohibit TikTok from developing its business in Indonesia.

In addition, the government continues to strive to support the empowerment of MSMEs and domestic e-commerce business actors and increase consumer protection.

Zulhas conveyed that this was done by the government through the Regulation of the Minister of Trade (Permendag) No.31/2023 concerning Business Licensing, Advertising, Development, and Supervision of Business Actors in Trade through the Electronic System.

"The point is that we arrange social commerce or e-commerce to support Indonesia's economic growth. It can be a support for MSMEs and our industry to dominate the market," he said.