The Jakarta Post, 26 July 2018
Indonesia and the United States have agreed to boost trade and will work to produce a road map that will guide efforts to increase the volume of trade between the two countries from almost $28 billion last year to around $50 billion within the next few years. After meeting with US Trade Secretary Wilbur Ross, Trade Minister Enggartiasto Lukita said he would assign a team from his ministry to work on the road map, although no deadline has been set for its completion. Enggartiasto and his entourage were in the US capital to persuade the US government not to include Indonesia on its list of countries against which it intends to raise tariffs as part of President Donald Trump’s escalating trade war. Regarding the government’s plan to expand its palm oil market to the US, Enggartiasto said Indonesia would encourage palm oil producers to invest in the US biodiesel industry. By investing in and developing the biofuel industry, Indonesia could create a biofuel market in the US, which could be crucial in light of the European Union’s decision to phase out biofuel over the next few years.