Trade and Investment Focus of U.S.-Indonesia Talks

U.S. officials concluded a two-day meeting with Indonesian counterparts July 17 under the bilateral Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) to discuss ways to further build bilateral trade and investment ties and address priority issues.

According to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, the two sides agreed to intensify their engagement under the TIFA and will reactivate working groups that can focus on ways to resolve issues between them. U.S. government officials conveyed concerns about several recent trade and investment measures that could restrict access to the Indonesian market for livestock, horticulture and other products.

They also discussed Indonesia’s intellectual property regime and agreed to launch a program of expanded engagement under the TIFA working group on intellectual property rights. The Indonesian government raised issues of concern with the United States. The U.S. and Indonesian delegations aim to hold a TIFA meeting in mid-September to follow up on the July discussions.

The U.S. delegation was led by Assistant U.S. Trade Representative Barbara Weisel and included senior officials from the departments of State, Agriculture and Commerce, as well as the Patent and Trademark Office and the Environmental Protection Agency. The delegation met with U.S. business representatives to obtain their input on issues of concern prior to the TIFA meeting and also met with representatives of the Indonesian business community.

U.S. goods and services trade with Indonesia totaled $28.5 billion in 2011. U.S. exports of agricultural products to Indonesia totaled $2.8 billion in 2011, the eighth largest U.S. agricultural export market. U.S. foreign direct investment was $15.5 billion in Indonesia's market in 2010, mostly in the energy and mining sector.

Above, a field of mature cotton plants ready to be picked. Cotton is one of the major U.S. exports to Indonesia.