Jakarta – The government continues to intensify international trade cooperation as a strategic response to the threat of high tariff policies from the United States under the leadership of Donald Trump. The main focus is directed at accelerating the completion of the Indonesia-European Union Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (I-EU CEPA) negotiations, which are considered to be a concrete way out amid global trade tensions.
This step was reinforced in a virtual meeting between Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto and the European Union Trade Commissioner, Maros Sefcovic, where both agreed on the importance of maintaining the momentum of the negotiations and resolving technical issues that are still blocking them.
“We agree to continue working together to take advantage of the existing momentum while upholding the rule of law,” said Airlangga Hartarto.
He emphasized that the acceleration of the I-EU CEPA negotiations not only expands market access for Indonesian products to Europe, but also strengthens the resilience of the national economy against uncertain external policy fluctuations.
“The completion of these negotiations will open up more trade and investment opportunities with EU member countries,” added Airlangga.
The increasingly fragmented global trade situation due to the United States’ protectionist approach has encouraged Indonesia to develop a network of trading partners in non-traditional regions. This diversification is considered crucial in maintaining export stability and supporting long-term economic growth.
Ajib Hamdani, Economic Policy Analyst from Apindo, said that the government’s move to expand cooperation to regions such as South America, Africa, and Central Asia is a visionary policy.
“This is the right time to strengthen competitiveness and build an efficient and low-cost business ecosystem,” said Ajib Hamdani.
Support also came from the industrial sector. Syofi Raharja, CEO of PT Oxytane Mitra Indonesia, encouraged business actors to be more proactive in opening new markets, especially those that have not been affected by tariff conflicts.
“If our products are of high quality, dynamics such as trade wars will not be a big problem,” concluded Syofi Raharja.
The government’s efforts to strengthen trade diplomacy emphasize Indonesia’s readiness to face global challenges, while encouraging a more resilient and sustainable national economy. [^]
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