Meeting The US Minister Of Trade, Coordinating Minister Airlangga Submitted Tariff Negotiations Proposals

Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto negotiated meeting with the United States Secretary of Commerce (US) Howard Lutnick ANTARA/HO-Kemenko of the Economy

JAKARTA - Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto, who led the Indonesian delegation, continued the negotiation efforts by meeting with the United States Secretary of Commerce or the United States (US) Minister of Trade Howard Lutnick.

The meeting was in order to submit a proposal for Indonesian negotiations regarding tariffs to the US.

"We are grateful to Secretary Lutnick who gave the opportunity to negotiate tariffs and reaffirm Indonesia's commitment to realizing fair and balanced trade," said Coordinating Minister Airlangga in his statement quoted in Jakarta, Antara, Sunday, April 20.

Indonesia conveyed concrete offers to increase Indonesia's purchases and imports from the US to balance the US trade deficit, including purchasing energy products (crude oil, LPG, and gasoline).

In addition, there is also an increase in imports of agricultural products from the US (soybeans, soybeans meal, and wheat), which are really needed and not produced in Indonesia.

Coordinating Minister Airlangga also conveyed Indonesia's commitment to cooperation in critical minerals, US investment support, and a commitment to solve non-tariff barrier (NTB) problems that are of concern to US entrepreneurs in Indonesia.

On this occasion, Lutnick appreciated the concrete commitments and proposals and assessed that Indonesia's offers and requests were very concrete and mutually beneficial for the two countries.

He said it was different from several other countries that had also just submitted proposals and had not been accepted by the US.

Furthermore, Lutnick agreed with the planned negotiation target which will be completed in the next 60 days and suggested that he immediately schedule a detailed technical discussion with the DoC and USTR.

"We appreciate Indonesia's concrete steps to negotiate tariffs. In the future, the US and Indonesia will continue to carry out mutually beneficial trade relations," said Lutnick.

The Indonesian negotiating team that accompanied Coordinating Minister Airlangga, including Deputy Minister of Finance Thomas Djiwandono, Deputy Chairman of the National Economic Council (DEN) Mari Elka Pangestu, and Secretary of the Coordinating Ministry for the Economy Susiwijono Moegiarso.

Then, Deputy for Economic Cooperation and Investment at the Coordinating Ministry for the Economy Edi Prio Pambudi, Director General of International Trade Negotiations of the Ministry of Trade Djatmiko Bris Witjaksono, and Ad-Interim Business Authority of the Indonesian Embassy in Washington DC Ida Bagus Made Bimantara.

Before Indonesia, there were several countries such as Japan and Argentina that had just met and negotiated the US tariff.

Indonesia is one of the few countries directly received by the US Government.

In relation to the US tariff policy, President Trump has assigned Lutnick along with Ambassadorsih (USTR) and Scott Bessent (Secretary of Treasury) as US officials in charge and handling US trade tariff policies.

The Department of Commerce (DoC) is a ministry in the US that is responsible for economic growth and trade affairs in the US.

DoC's task is to increase international trade and help US businesses compete in the global market, as well as promote fair trade.

In the context of the US tariff policy, the DoC which formulates major policies regarding tariffs (part of the US international trade policy), while for technical implementation of tariff negotiations it is the duty of USTR.

Before holding a direct meeting on Thursday (17/4/2025) at the DoC Office, Coordinating Minister Airlangga also held an online meeting via Zoom meeting with Lutnick, so that the meeting between the two parties was very liquid and friendly, and lasted for more than 1.5 hours.

This response is a good opportunity for Indonesia, which in the first week of the implementation of the postponement of the reciprocal rate, can be received directly by the authorities in the US, namely USTR and DoC, and has also been scheduled with the Secretary of Treasury.