Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has stated that his country seeks a fair and equal relationship with the United States, and will pursue diplomacy to address the newly imposed 32% tariff rate by U.S. President Donald Trump.
Prabowo made the remarks on Monday during a rice harvesting event in West Java.
“We will also open negotiations with America. We will say, we want a good relationship. We want a fair relationship. We want an equal relationship,” he said.
Rather than retaliating, the Indonesian government has opted for diplomatic engagement and announced plans to send a high-level delegation to the United States for negotiations.
To address the tariffs, Indonesian ministers are working on a proposal that includes increasing purchases of U.S. products such as cotton, wheat, oil, and gas. The plan also aims to resolve non-tariff barriers and potentially reduce taxes on U.S. imports.
Chief Economic Minister Airlangga Hartarto, who will lead the delegation, reportedly met with over a hundred business associations on Monday to gather input for the negotiation strategy.
Following the meeting, the government formulated a plan to boost imports from the U.S., which includes acquiring components for an oil refinery project and exploring adjustments to local content regulations for U.S. tech and telecommunications companies operating in Indonesia.
According to the Finance Ministry, the country’s fiscal stance remains unchanged for now, and efforts will be made to maintain economic stability amid the evolving trade situation.