RI Prepares Face-to-Face Negotiations With USTR On US Trade Tariffs Next Month

Rupiah and US Dollars (Photo: Antara)

JAKARTA - The Indonesian government is establishing intensive communication with the United States Trade Representative (USTR) regarding the reciprocal tariff for Indonesian export products to the United States.

"Yes, we have sent the list. Pak Airlangga's official letter to the same USTR to (Commerce Secretary Howard) Lutnick. There are two letters," said Secretary of the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs Susiwijono Moegiarso to the media crew, Thursday, August 28.

He added that currently his party together with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs are preparing a follow-up schedule for negotiations and have started initial discussions online with USTR.

"In the past few days, last night too, we were online. Online with USTR. We are with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs first," said Susiwijono.

According to him, the negotiations were conducted online because USTR was still compiling a schedule due to the large demand from other countries. However, online communication continues to run well.

"It's just that, when they want to discuss the substance, that's what they will do, there's also a technical team that will handle this. Well, that's what we'll need to finish the schedule. Only later, in September, either the first, second week, we'll start physical in-person going there," he added.

He added that several product groups proposed to obtain exemption or exceptions from tariffs of 19 percent include superior commodities such as coffee, cocoa, rubber, palm oil, horticultural products and other agros. It also includes labor-intensive products such as textiles and textile products (TPT), as well as significant exported apparel to the US.

"So it's like TPT, apartel. But it's selective. And it does have a proposal letter from them. From GAP there is a request for us to send it, It's from them. Not industry, their market," he said.