Indonesia pushes ahead with trade negotiations with US
In a letter dated July 7 and addressed to President Prabowo Subianto, US President Donald Trump confirmed the decision to keep the 32% tariff in place, despite ongoing talks.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt shows a signed letter on tariffs to Korean President Lee Jae Myung on July 7, 2025, at the White House in Washington, DC. US President Donald Trump sent a similar letter to President Prabowo Subianto, warning that Washington will impose a 32% tariff unless Jakarta works out a trade and investment deal. (Photo: Reuters)
Hanoi (VNA) – The Indonesian Government will soon announce its respons๊e to the US's decision to maintain a 32% import tariff on Indonesian goods, Minister of Finance Sri Mulyani Indrawati said on July 10.
The minister unveiled the information after attending a plenary session at the House of Representatives (DPR) in Jakarta.
Meanwhile, Deputy Minister of Finance Anggito Abimanyu said more time is needed to assess the potential economic impact, noting that the policy has not yet been implemented. He welcomed the government’s continued efforts to pursue dialogue with the US.
Abimanyu noted that the US appeared open to revisiting its decision, and said Indonesia planned to take advantage of this opportunity to protect its national interests.
In a letter dated July 7 and addressed to President Prabowo Subianto, US President Donald Trump confirmed the decision to keep the 32% tariff in place, despite ongoing talks.
Trump suggested that the tariff rate could still be adjusted if Indonesia agrees to further open its market to US products, revise its trade policies, or begin manufacturing goods in the US.
Meanwhile, other Southeast Asian countries have also seen shifts in US tariff rates. Thailand and Cambodia now face additional import tariffs of 36% - adjusted from previous rates of 36 and 49% - while Malaysia’s tariff has increased slightly, from 24 to 25%./.
At the meeting in Washington, D.C. on April 24, Hartarto reiterated Jakarta’s commitment to addressing the US trade deficit with Indonesia, the Indonesian media reported.
Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto on April 18 said Indonesia has proposed increasing its imports from the US by as much as 19 billion USD, to eliminate its trade surplus with Washington.
ASEAN’s stance is to continue pursuing constructive engagement and negotiation with the US, he said, adding member states could hold bilateral negotiations at the same time.
In the new development phase, the Mekong-Korea Cooperation should focus on innovation as the key driving force, placing people at the centre of development while ensuring water-food-energy security and developing cultural industries, said Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son.
There are "high odds" that a meeting between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping could happen, though no specific date or time has been discussed, according to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Deputy PM and FM Bui Thanh Son reaffirmed ASEAN's stances on the East Sea, Myanmar, the Middle East, and the Korean Peninsula. On the East Sea issue, Vietnam maintains its steadfast position of peacefully resolving disputes based on international law, particularly 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
In a post on X, Indian Minister of State for External Affairs Pabitra Margherita who co-chaired the meeting, noted that the ASEAN-India Plan of Action for 2026-2030 aims to expand cooperation further and give impetus to the comprehensive strategic partnership between India and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
The event was part of activities by the ASEAN Committee in Santiago (ACS), with participation from the embassies of Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam.
By the 2030, the Government aims for 80% of households to live within a 10-minute walk of an MRT station, strengthening Singapore’s commitment to sustainable urban mobility.
The US accounts for 18% of Thailand's exports. If the 36% rate is implemented, exports to the US could fall to 10% of the total, weakening bilateral trade relations over the long term.
AMM-58 is the largest gathering of ASEAN foreign ministers and senior diplomats from around the world to discuss pressing global and regional issues, promote cooperation, and advance the security and sustainability agenda in ASEAN.
Within the framework of the 58th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting (AMM-58) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Secretary-General of ASEAN Dr. Kao Kim Hourn held bilateral meetings with ASEAN leaders on July 9.
The Southeast Asian country has offered to cut import duties on most US goods to zero, expand access for US agricultural and industrial products, and increase purchases of energy and Boeing jets. It also pledged to reduce its 46 billion USD trade surplus with the US by 70% within five years.
Myanmar Ambassador Min Thein took over the ACV Chairmanship, pledging to continue ongoing initiatives and further strengthen the unity and engagement of ASEAN diplomatic missions in Vienna
With a foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, and multilateralisation, Vietnam has viewed Brazil as an ideal partner that shares a common vision of a just world based on international law.
Thailand’s consumer price index (CPI) declined for a third consecutive month in June, attributed to lower energy and food prices, though there are no signs of deflation, according to the country’s Commerce Ministry.
According to the Bank of Thailand report issued on June 30, total household debt tallied 16.35 trillion THB (503.4 billion USD) in the first quarter of 2025, equivalent to 87.4% of GDP, down from 16.42 trillion or 88.4% of GDP in the previous quarter.
The programme “Towards Indonesia's Low Carbon Energy Transition” (MENTARI) has served as a bridge, helping Indonesian village women break free from traditional constraints.
The bill, which had previously been proposed by the Ministry of Finance, outlined mechanisms for regulating entertainment businesses through a two-level committee system: the Comprehensive Entertainment Policy Committee and the Entertainment Business Control Board. The goal is to establish standards and regulatory measures for the industry.
According to ADB, more than 1 billion people across Asia and the Pacific still lack access to basic health services, with millions pushed into poverty due to healthcare costs.
The US decided to keep unchanged tariff rates on certain countries in Southeast Asia, such as 32% for Indonesia and 36% for Thailand, effective from August 1. Malaysia faces a 25% rate, up from the 24% that the US threatened in April.
