The Trump administration has concluded a trade agreement with Indonesia, which provides customs duties set at 19% for Indonesian exports to the United States, while American products imported on the archipelago will be exempt.
Customs duties against aircraft purchases: the “deal” may seem unbalanced, and yet … the American president Donald Trump announced on Tuesday on his social social network having reached a commercial agreement with Indonesia, which could allow the country of Southeast Asia to avoid being imposed on customs duties beyond the 10% floor imposed by Washington.
“Super agreement, for all, just obtained with Indonesia. I negotiated directly with its very respected president,” said Donald Trump, without giving more details on the nature of the signed agreement.
Before leaving the White House, he told the press that the archipelago was going to “give (in the United States, editor’s note) full access” to its domestic market, without the slightest customs right, while Indonesian products will be taxed up to 19% by entering the United States.
Donald Trump also stressed the importance of copper produced by Indonesia, while the American president wants to set up sectoral customs duties on this metal.
In a new message later published on Truth Social, the American president said that the agreement notably provides for the acquisition by the Indonesia of fifty aircraft of the American manufacturer Boeing, in particular “many” of 777, the big bicouloir carrier of the aircraft manufacturer.
Indonesia was committed on July 8 to import more American agricultural and oil products, in order to seek to love Washington in order to avoid an overly brutal increase in customs duties applied to its products.
Donald Trump had indeed threatened Jakarta to impose a customs surcharge of 32% if no trade agreement was signed before August 1.
The Indonesian Minister of the Economy Arlangga Hartarto had gone to Washington to negotiate the agreement in early July, announcing in the process the purchase of American agricultural and oil products, without specifying the amount of these purchases.
However, he said that Indonesian companies would undertake to spend a total of $ 34 billion.
Indonesia and Europe are getting closer
According to US official figures, the United States has recorded in 2024 a trade deficit of $ 17.9 billion (16.2 billion euros) with Indonesia, up 5.4% compared to 2023.
The American president had announced his so -called “reciprocal” customs duties in early April, before pauses a game, now only a 10%floor rate.
He then announced that he wanted to obtain several dozen trade agreements during the break of the break, 90 days, which was extended until August 1.
But so far, only two agreements, with the United Kingdom and Vietnam, had been announced, when the White House had assured that it is able to sign up to 90.
About twenty countries have received a letter from the White House since the beginning of July announcing the taxation of customs duties between 20 and 40% for the majority of countries and even 50% for Brazilian products. These surcharges will be applied on August 1.
Indonesia also signed a “political agreement” with the European Union (EU) on Sunday, which aims to soften trade barriers, the conclusion of negotiations started in 2016 with the aim of increasing trade and investments on both sides.
“There is a lot of unexploited potential in our commercial relationship. And that is why this agreement comes at the right time, because the new agreement will open new markets,” said the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen.
The Indonesian President Prabowo undergoes, visiting Brussels for the signing of the agreement, had called him as “breakthrough”, “after 10 years of negotiations”.
