Indonesia eyes to clinch US tariff deal in a fortnight
he government is still hoping to secure a tariff deal with the United States before the year draws to a close, as Coordinating Economy Minister Airlangga Hartarto is expected to meet with the US Trade Representative (USTR) just days ahead of the Christmas and New Year holidays.
Haryo Limanseto, spokesperson for the Office of the Coordinating Economy Minister, told The Jakarta Post on Friday that Airlangga, who flew to the US on Thursday, is scheduled to meet USTR Jamieson Greer as early as Monday, just three days before Christmas, when most activity, including government business, typically comes to a halt.
“We naturally hope that [the agreement] can be concluded as soon as possible and be beneficial for both sides,” Haryo said, adding that Jakarta is looking to secure the deal before the end of 2025, which is just two weeks away.
Indonesia’s technical team, tasked with the legal drafting process, arrived in the US capital about a week ago to pave the way for Airlangga. However, it remains unclear whether an agreement can be secured as soon as the senior minister arrives.
Read also: Prabowo seeks to close US tariff deal by year-end: Airlangga
Airlangga said on Monday that President Prabowo Subianto and US President Donald Trump would likely meet next year to sign the Agreement on Reciprocal Trade (ART) once the legal process is completed.
Indonesia was among the first countries to secure a framework tariff agreement with the US government, which lowered duties on Indonesian exports from a threatened 32 percent to 19 percent in July in exchange for various concessions.