"We are ensuring strong production capacity for footwear, textiles, and garments, as we also supply the European Union and Canadian markets," Kadin Chairman Anindya Bakrie said here on Saturday.
He noted that government shutdowns have occurred several times in the United States, emphasizing that the situation does not completely halt the country’s economy.
"The US government is not entirely paralyzed. Several economic and trade activities with other countries continue to operate. This is not the first shutdown—it happens under every administration. That’s just how they work," he remarked.
At the same time, Indonesia must continues to seek new export markets amid various global challenges, including the US shutdown and ongoing trade tensions between the United States and China.
"We must open alternative markets, such as with Canada and the European Union," Anindya added.
Earlier, the US federal government went into a shutdown on Wednesday (October 1) after Congress failed to agree on a funding bill, marking the first such event in nearly seven years.
As a result, hundreds of thousands of federal employees have been placed on unpaid leave, several public services suspended, and the release of key economic data delayed.
The shutdown began hours after the US Senate failed to pass a short-term funding bill that would have temporarily kept the government running.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of Indonesia’s National Economic Council (DEN), Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, met with US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick in Washington, D.C., on October 10 to discuss cooperation and investment opportunities. The main agenda was to continue negotiations on a reciprocal tariff agreement between Indonesia and the United States.
Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto previously stated that the temporary US government shutdown had hampered the ongoing tariff negotiations between the two countries.
However, he noted that communication would soon be established with the US Trade Representative (USTR) to clarify the continuation of the talks.
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Translator: Resinta Sulistiyandari
Editor: M Razi Rahman
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