Sri Mulyani Pushes for Fair Tariff Talks in Meeting with U.S. Ambassador
Main Takeaways
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JAKARTA, investortrust.id — Indonesia’s Minister of Finance Sri Mulyani Indrawati has sought to open fair and reciprocal negotiations on proposed U.S. tariff increases targeting Indonesian products, in a meeting with U.S. Ambassador to Indonesia Kamala Shirin Lakhdhir in Jakarta on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
The talks mark an early diplomatic response to the United States’ latest tariff policy, which places Indonesia among the 15 countries allegedly causing the most harm to U.S. trade. According to Sri Mulyani, the meeting provided a platform to reaffirm Indonesia’s position and seek mutually beneficial outcomes.
“This meeting served as an important moment to strengthen bilateral ties between Indonesia and the United States amid the evolving global economic and geopolitical landscape. We held open discussions on possible joint measures to ensure the issue is resolved fairly, for the benefit of both economies and the broader global trade system,” said Sri Mulyani in a statement issued on Thursday, April 17, 2025.
A Broader Economic Discussion
In addition to trade concerns, the meeting also touched on Indonesia’s 2025 national budget strategy, designed to support key government priorities under the new administration. Sri Mulyani highlighted social welfare programs including free nutritious meal programs, social protection measures, and a target to construct three million homes for the public.
She expressed appreciation for the productive dialogue with Ambassador Lakhdhir and emphasized the importance of maintaining open channels of communication to build bilateral trust and craft collaborative solutions in response to global economic challenges.