Hartarto rejected speculation that Indonesia might accept “poison pill” terms similar to those reportedly agreed by Malaysia and Cambodia with Washington—provisions seen as limiting their ability to strike separate deals with China and criticised as infringing on national sovereignty.
“This agreement is both commercial and strategic in nature, and it is mutually beneficial to both economies,” he said.
On non-tariff barriers, Hartarto said Indonesia would continue streamlining business processes, citing a task force established to tackle bottlenecks related to regulations and administrative hurdles faced by investors.
The government opened a dedicated channel under the task force last week to speed up cross-ministry coordination and work with other state agencies.
“Businesses can report any obstacles they encounter, and we will listen,” Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa said on December 1.
Non-tariff barriers have been a key issue raised by Washington in talks with Jakarta. The Office of the US Trade Representative has cited ongoing legal uncertainty, economic nationalism, and what it describes as excessive influence from local business interests as major obstacles to reaching an agreement with Indonesia.
There was no immediate statement from the US side after the meeting.