"This is our momentum to strengthen the domestic industry by ensuring that the domestic market provides opportunities to be optimized by our industries," he told the press in Jakarta on Thursday.
Earlier, Indonesia and the US reached a deal under which Indonesia will pay a 19-percent tariff on every product it exports to the US. Meanwhile, US exports to Indonesia will be exempt from both tariff and non-tariff barriers.
When asked if imports of US products would trigger layoffs, especially in labor-intensive industries, Yassierli said he remains optimistic due to the various collaborations the government is implementing to boost national productivity.
Furthermore, he assessed that the new tariff of 19 percent reflected a significant decrease from the previous "reciprocal tariff" of 32 percent announced by US President Donald Trump.
In a statement on Thursday, National Economic Council (DEN) Chairperson Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan stated that the reduction of the tariff rate from 32 percent to 19 percent could help boost Indonesian products' competitiveness.
Pandjaitan emphasized that the government’s success in securing the lower tariff is part of strategic measures to strengthen supply chains, attract investment, and boost Indonesia’s position as a respected trading partner.
Earlier, President Trump wrote on Truth Social that he and President Prabowo Subianto had reached a deal that “opens up Indonesia’s entire market to the United States for the first time in history.”
Along with the tariff changes, he highlighted that Indonesia has agreed to purchase US$15 billion in energy, import US$4.5 billion worth of agricultural products, and buy 50 Boeing aircraft from the US.
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Translator: Arnidhya Nur, Raka Adji
Editor: Primayanti
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