TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto stated that the government will negotiate with the United States regarding the import tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump.
Prabowo said that Indonesia is facing challenges after the world was shaken by the trade war due to Trump's tariffs. However, he emphasized that Indonesia has the strength to negotiate with the U.S.
"We will express that we want a good, fair, and equal relationship, a mutual relationship. So what they are asking for is reasonable and we have to respect it," said Prabowo in a speech at a harvest festival in Majalengka, West Java, on Monday, April 7, 2025.
According to Prabowo, the U.S. leaders certainly prioritize the interests of their people. However, he believes that Indonesia has the power to face the challenges of the trade war.
Before this, the Head of the Presidential Communication Office (PCO), Hasan Nasbi, stated that the government has sent a lobbying team to the U.S. to negotiate import tariffs on Indonesia.
"The government has sent a high-level lobbying team to negotiate with the U.S. government," said Hasan Nasbi in a written statement on Friday, April 4, 2025.
Negotiations with the U.S. are difficult as the position of the Indonesian Ambassador to Washington, DC has been vacant for almost two years after Rosan Roeslani returned to the homeland. Rosan was the last Indonesian Ambassador to the United States.
Rosan ended his tenure in Washington on July 17, 2023, when the former President Joko Widodo appointed him as Deputy Minister of State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs). Prabowo has appointed Rosan as the Minister of Investment and Downstream Industry.
Deputy Chair of the House Commission on Foreign Affairs, Dave Akbarshah Fikarno Laksono, stated that the withdrawal of Rosan at the time was because his abilities were greatly needed by the country.
"Recalled because there was a more important job to do in Indonesia. But again, not because America is considered unimportant," said Dave via a text message on Monday, April 7, 2025.
Dave denied the assumption that the withdrawal was because Indonesia considered the U.S. unimportant. On the contrary, he claimed that the status of the partnership with the United States was crucial for Indonesia. According to Dave, the U.S. is one of Indonesia's most important partners, especially in the economic and defense sectors.
When contacted separately, a member of the House Commission on Foreign Affairs, Tubagus Hasanuddin, urged the administration to immediately appoint an appropriate individual as Indonesia's ambassador to the United States.
According to him, the vacancy of this position will affect bilateral relations between Jakarta and Washington. Because communication between countries is generally bridged through their respective embassies.
"In my opinion, this is not good. That's why a figure must be appointed to fill this vacancy," said the PDIP politician.
On April 2, President Donald Trump released a new import tariff policy called 'Reciprocal Tariffs' or Trump tariffs. This policy will impose additional tariffs on imported products from various countries. These include several Asian countries, including Indonesia.
In announcing the new trade policy in the White House Rose Garden on Wednesday afternoon local time, President Trump stated that the U.S. will impose a minimum import tariff of 10 percent on all imported products.
In addition, certain countries will be subject to higher reciprocal tariffs as part of this new policy. The amount of Trump's tariffs on Asian countries varies. Cambodia is an Asian country with the highest tariff. Meanwhile, Singapore will only be subject to 10 percent. Taiwan and Indonesia will both be subject to a 32 percent tariff.
Andi Adam Faturahman and Achmad Giffary Mannan contributed to the writing of this article.
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