This was conveyed by Indonesia's Minister of Finance, Sri Mulyani Indrawati, during an online press conference in Jakarta on Thursday.
“Indonesia, as the largest country in ASEAN and in its relations with both the US and China, maintains a neutral, respected, and strategic position,” she said. “We must preserve this strong bargaining power.”
She added that her ministry recently held a bilateral meeting with Chinese counterparts, during which Indonesia reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening ties.
According to Indrawati, the US has also expressed a desire to continue strengthening its relationship with Indonesia.
She expressed optimism that Indonesia’s relatively strong bargaining position is supported by its stable economic performance. These strengths, she said, equip the country to navigate volatile global challenges.
Earlier, Deputy Chair of the National Economic Committee (DEN), Mari Elka Pangestu, suggested that the Indonesian government should also open negotiations with China in response to US tariff policies.
“We need to pursue diplomacy and forward-looking engagement not only with the US but also with China,” she stated on April 13.
Meanwhile, a team from the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs is continuing technical discussions with the United States Trade Representative (USTR).
The team and the USTR have agreed to engage in intensive tariff negotiations and to prepare a cooperation framework within the next 60 days.
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Translator: Imamatul, Kenzu
Editor: Anton Santoso
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