Jakarta, July 08, 2025 – The Europe Today: The Indonesian government is preparing an official response to the United States’ decision to maintain a 32 percent import tariff on goods from Indonesia, Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati announced on Tuesday.
“We will announce our response later on,” the minister stated while speaking to reporters after attending a plenary session at the House of Representatives (DPR) in Jakarta.
She confirmed that Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto will soon return to the United States to continue negotiations aimed at securing fairer trade conditions. “The discussions are still ongoing,” she added.
Deputy Finance Minister Anggito Abimanyu noted that the U.S. policy has yet to take effect and emphasized the importance of a careful economic impact assessment before finalizing Indonesia’s response.
“It is not effective yet. I cannot say anything as nothing is final,” Abimanyu remarked. He welcomed the government’s efforts to maintain dialogue with U.S. counterparts.
Ministry of Finance spokesperson Haryo Limanseto confirmed Minister Hartarto’s travel plans and underscored Indonesia’s firm position in defending its trade interests. “The U.S. has shown some willingness to revisit the decision. We intend to seize this opportunity to safeguard our national interests,” he said.
According to a letter dated July 7 and addressed to President Prabowo Subianto, U.S. President Donald Trump reaffirmed the decision to uphold the 32 percent tariff on Indonesian goods. The letter was also shared by Trump via his Truth Social account.
“Please understand that the 32 percent figure is far less than what is needed to eliminate the trade deficit disparity we have with your country,” the letter read. Trump further indicated that the tariff rate could be reconsidered if Indonesia agrees to open its market more broadly to U.S. products, revise its trade regulations, or consider relocating manufacturing operations to the United States.
The U.S. administration has also adjusted tariff rates for other Southeast Asian nations. Thailand and Cambodia are now subject to 36 percent import tariffs, while Malaysia faces a slight increase from 24 to 25 percent.
Indonesia’s government continues to pursue a balanced and diplomatic resolution, emphasizing national economic resilience while engaging in constructive trade discussions with the United States.
