"We keep monitoring the situation in the US. In principle, we will keep studying various alternatives that are available," Trade Minister Enggartiasto Lukito said at the Indonesia-US Investment Summit 2016 here on Thursday.
Without underlining whether or not Indonesia would join the partnership, he pointed out that the outcome of the US presidential election would lead to a different situation within the TPP itself.
"We will await the result of the US election and are also studying the issue of the TPP. We will see what happens if (Donald) Trump wins or Hillary (Clinton) wins," he added.
He clarified that the government was continuing to study all possible scenarios that may happen on the TPP front.
Enggartiasto reminded that the US own consistency regarding the partnership would have an affect over Indonesias decision to join the TPP.
"We are still to take a call when it comes to the TPP. We will join the TPP if the US remains consistent," he stressed.
The TPP has become a strategic issue recently, including in Indonesia, a country the US has been lobbying since 2012 to convince it to join the pact.
Indonesia has to properly consider the advantages and disadvantages of joining the TPP because if the country is not ready with a lot of products that could be marketed abroad, it would end up becoming merely a market for foreign products.
He reiterated that the country must first be assured of its capacities in the domains of education, companies and technology to meet the standards of other countries that have joined the TPP.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
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