Indonesian Govt Delays Press Conference on Trump's Tariffs, Economist Urges Strategic Anticipation

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Airlangga Hartarto, has postponed a press conference regarding the government's response to the United States' imposed import tariffs. Previously, Airlangga was scheduled to make a statement alongside Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati today, Thursday, April 3, 2025, at 10:45 AM Western Indonesia Time.

In an invitation distributed to the media, the two members of President Prabowo Subianto's Cabinet were listed as speakers along with the Ministers of Trade, Foreign Affairs, and the Deputy Minister of Industry. However, the presentation has been postponed and will be rescheduled.

"The U.S. Tariff policy is highly technical, covering various commodities. Therefore, it still requires comprehensive discussions within each ministry and institution," as stated by the Communication Bureau of the Coordinating Ministry for the Economy.

Wijayanto Samirin, senior economist at Paramadina University, believes that the government's response is crucial but should not be rushed. "It must be targeted and measured. Address current issues and anticipate future problems, without angering other parties, especially the U.S. or Trump," he said when contacted on Thursday, April 3, 2025.

Ideally, according to Wijayanto, the government should hold a press conference involving other institutions such as Bank Indonesia, the Deposit Insurance Corporation, and the Financial Services Authority. "The spokesperson should be someone who understands the economy in detail and technically," he added.

Furthermore, he advised the government to be open and provide thorough answers to the media without hiding any facts. This is because it could have a negative impact and undermine the government's credibility. "The problems and challenges are acknowledged, but the solutions and anticipations have already been prepared."

As is known, on April 2, 2025, the President of the United States, Donald Trump, announced an import tariff policy called reciprocal tariffs. Trump imposed a minimum basic tariff of 10 percent for all imported goods entering the U.S.

In addition, several countries have been subjected to an additional import duty called retaliatory tariffs. Indonesia was subjected to a 32 percent tariff.

Leaders of several countries have issued statements. China is reportedly preparing retaliatory tariff policies. China's Ministry of Commerce urged Trump to remove unilateral tariffs and engage in dialogue. A ministry spokesperson said there are no winners in a trade war, and protectionism will not yield results, as quoted by Xinhua and The Guardian on Thursday, April 3, 2025.

The European Union will continue to negotiate with the U.S. President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, stated that the European Union is prepared to take strong measures if negotiations do not reach a consensus. In an official statement on the European Commission's website, she said they are now preparing further retaliatory actions to protect our interests and businesses if the negotiations fail.

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