JAKARTA - The Indonesian Textile Association (API) has requested that the Indonesian government immediately form a negotiating team to meet the Donald Trump Administration to discuss the new import tariff policy of 32 percent.
API General Chair Jemmy Kartiwa said this needs to be done in order to discuss the Indonesian Government's strategy in reducing trade deficits or trade deficits in the United States (US).
"So, maybe we ask for protection from the government to immediately arrange a negotiating team. You can go to America, you can talk to the Trump Government about how the Indonesian Government's policy in lowering the United States trade deficit, with the hope that the 32 percent tariff will be charged on 9 (April), we can get a lighter tariff," Jemmy said in an online press conference, Friday, April 4.
Jemmy said the impact of the imposition of import rates would increase the price of goods entering Uncle Sam's country, including from Indonesia. Then, after the price of these goods increases, it is feared that it will reduce the purchasing power of the US people.
As a result, demand for imported goods to the US, particularly in the textile and textile product (TPT) sector, has decreased and has caused manufacturers to experience oversupply.
"Well, where do you want to sell the goods? Don't let Indonesia, which has a large population, become the export destination that was previously aimed at Uncle Sam's country, be exiled to Indonesia. This one will make the impact of its layoffs even worse in the TPT sector," he said.
Therefore, said Jemmy, his party requested that the Indonesian government could minimize the impact of the Trump tariff.
One way to form a negotiating team to meet face-to-face with Donald Trump's Government is to negotiate the new policy.
"We have to be smart on how to mitigate, minimize the impact of Trump's policies. The goal of the Trump administration is clear, how each country is able to reduce the trade deficit. So, maybe we ask the government to immediately arrange a negotiating team, can go to America and talk to the Trump Government," he added.
For your information, based on data from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) quoted on Friday, April 4, Indonesia's exports to the US reached 2.35 billion US dollars in the February 2025 period.
The export value is higher than February 2024 which amounted to 2.10 billion US dollars and January 2025 amounted to 2.33 billion US dollars.
The US is one of the main export destination countries or regions with a portion of 11.26 percent. The US position is above India with a portion of 7.93 percent. However, the US position is still below China with a portion of 20.60 percent.
In addition, the US is one of the countries contributing to Indonesia's largest trade surplus. In February 2025, Indonesia recorded a surplus from the US of 1.57 billion US dollars.
The largest surplus contributor came from electric machinery and equipment and parts (HS 85) with a value of 291.1 million US dollars. Then followed by clothes and accessories (gluing) (HS 61) with a value of 215 million US dollars and footwear (HS 64) with a value of 207.7 million US dollars.
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