Bub, the hell are you talking about? You do realise that "The USA is leaving nations with smaller deficits alone" in no way excludes Indonesia?
Like lets use the data FROM THE SAME WEBSITE YOU QUOTED:
http://www.worldstopexports.com/indonesias-top-15-import-partners/
"Overall Indonesia garnered an $11.9 billion trade surplus during 2017, up 34.5% from $8.8 billion in black ink in 2016.
Based on Investopedia’s definition of net importer,
a country whose total value of all imported goods is lower than its value of all exports is said to have a positive trade balance or surplus.
- India: US$10 billion (country-specific trade surplus in 2017)
- United States: $9.7 billion
So... lets do some grade school maths shall we?
If our exports to USA is 17.8 Billion, and our surplus is 9.7 Billion, then our imports are 17.8 - 9.7 = 8.1 Billion, which means that we export nearly 2x than we import.
In case you haven't noticed, Indonesia is the largest economy in South-East Asia, and the 16th largest in the world... Yeah we aren't China, but we do 'matter'.
I see you've found ONE article where a minister states that we aren't going to be a target of a trade war.
Let me show you my sources:
https://www.indonesia-investments.c...lso-eyes-tariffs-on-indonesian-goods/item8881
Trade War Kicks Off, Trump also Eyes Tariffs on Indonesian Goods
06 Juli 2018 |
Trade War between Indonesia and USA?
>Meanwhile, Indonesia is also on Trump's radar as he detected a "suspicious" trade deficit in US-Indonesia trade relations. Back in April 2017 Trump had already called for an investigation into the "trade imbalance" between the US and 16 countries, including Indonesia.<
>Therefore, the US is currently studying whether to impose import tariffs on 124 Indonesian products that are shipped to the USA.< It specifically involves goods that are imported under the generalized system of preference (GSP), including plywood and cotton. This program, which was introduced in 1976, aims to support developing countries by reducing import duties and taxes. Normally, the program is extended each year. This time, however, the US said it is reviewing the goods' tariffs.
Non-GSP products that are being reviewed by the US government include textiles, agricultural products, shrimp, and crab.
Based on data from Statistics Indonesia (BPS), the US is among Indonesia's top three export destinations (in the non-oil & gas segment). In the first four months of 2018, non-oil & gas exports that were shipped to the USA reached USD $5.85 billion (up 3.6 percent on a year-on-year basis), and accounting for 10.9 percent of Indonesia's total (non-oil & gas) exports in the January-April 2018 period...
...Shinta Widjaja Kamdani, Chairman of International Relations and Investment at the Indonesian Employers Association (Apindo), said domestic industries are concerned about the possible implementation of import tariffs on 124 Indonesian goods. Kamdani said she hopes that the Indonesian government can organize a successful lobby and reassure the US government that the goods that are exported under the GSP are not the cause of the US trade deficit.
>Indonesian Trade Minister Enggartiasto Lukita stated that Indonesia would be ready to prepare a retaliatory move provided the USA indeed imposes import tariffs on 124 Indonesian products.< However, before that time arrives, Lukita supports a soft approach to prevent the breakout of a trade war between both countries.
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Not enough? How about this? AN ARTICLE PUBLISHED BY SINGAPORE'S STRAITS TIMES
https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/s...eeks-to-reduce-deficits-with-trading-partners
Indonesia under US trade radar as Trump seeks to reduce deficits with trading partners
JUL 7, 2018, 11:03 AM SGT
JAKARTA (ASIA NEWS NETWORK) - >
Indonesia may no longer be able to remain a spectator of the ever-escalating global trade war with the country now on the radar of the United States government, which under the administration of President Donald Trump is seeking to reduce its deficits with its trade partners.<
The Indonesian government has been anticipating the domino effect that could result from a
trade war between the US and China, which finally began this week.
However, the government may have been cautious about entering into a trade spat with the US as it was revealed recently that Mr Trump in April pointed to Indonesia as having a trade surplus with the US.
>The Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR) announced in April it would launch a review into Indonesia's Generalised System of Preferences (GSP), a program that offers exemptions from trade barriers, along with the trade policies of India and Kazakhstan.<
"Indonesia has implemented a wide array of trade and investment barriers that create serious negative effects on US commerce," the USTR wrote in a statement posted on its website.
The USTR pointed out that the review would be based on concerns related to Indonesia's GSP criteria for market access, services and investment.
Commenting on the matter, President Joko Widodo said on the sidelines of the Indonesia Livestock Expo in Jakarta on Friday (July 6) that he would hold a meeting on Monday (July 9) to discuss the possibilities of a trade war.
Separately, Foreign Minister Retno L.P. Marsudi said that while Indonesia had a trade surplus with the US, other factors needed to be taken into account, such as services and investment.
"If we include them (services and investment), we want it to be a win-win," she said on the sidelines of a Joint Commission Meeting with her Thai counterpart in Yogyakarta on Friday.
Ms Retno, however, expressed skepticism about the possibility of a trade war with the US, stressing that relations between both countries remained warm.
"As of my latest meeting with the US secretary of state in Washington on June 6, they are still committed to implementing strategic partnerships between Indonesia and the US," she said.
According to US Census Bureau data, US apparel and accessories imports from Indonesia reached US$4.69 billion in 2016, 4.91 per cent lower year-on-year than the US$4.94 billion recorded in 2015. The category is the top Indonesian export to the US...
>...Trade Minister Enggartiasto Lukita said on Thursday that Indonesia would prepare a retaliatory policy if the US moved forward with its plan to impose tariffs on 124 products imported from Indonesia, saying that the country's ambassador to the US "had pursued a [SOFT]approach".<
"I have communicated with the US because, basically, we do not want a trade war as it will cause losses for all parties. We'd prefer collaboration," Enggartiasto said as quoted by kompas.com, adding that retaliation was still possible should the US pressure continue and that it could resemble that occurring between the US and China. When contacted by The Jakarta
Post on Friday, the Trade Ministry's International Trade Negotiations Director General Iman Pambagyo declined to comment on the matter given the "sketchy information" coming from the US.
Meanwhile, Shinta Kamdani, the Indonesian Employers Association's (Apindo) head of international relations and investment, said on Thursday that local businesspeople were aware that hundreds of commodities were currently under the US GSP review, including cotton, plywood and agricultural products.
Shinta said that, in the coming months, Indonesia's trade representatives would attend hearings in the US that would be witnessed by supporting and opposing panels, adding that the soonest would take place later this July.
>"We will lose our key [to having a trade surplus] if we have to cease our GSPs because we will face higher tariffs," she said.<
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Yes, Indonesia doesn't WANT to be in a trade war, but Trump isn't giving us an option either. As stated by our Vice-President:
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https://en.tempo.co/read/news/2018/...to-Retaliate-if-Donald-Trump-Starts-Trade-War
I won't bore you with the actual article, but I think its painfully evident how
real the threat of trade war is when even the vice president makes a speech on it.
Look, I get it, you're ignorant, and from your comments its painfully obvious that you don't understand the fundamentals of trade.
Yes, America is
only the second largest export destination for Indonesia and is
only the second largest trade surplus partner.
You realise thats still significant don't you?
I'm reading your comments with a sense of "WTF? So just because America is number two somehow it doesn't matter anymore?" Would you say that Russia's military doesn't matter just because it's the second largest? What type of non-sensical logic is that???
And shit, I don't need to argue with you. Just read the Straits Time article! Or you know,
maaaaayyybeee we do have delusions of grandeur, thank God Trump agrees with us!
Indonesia doesn't believe we have a 'hostile' trade relationship with America, we have a trade surplus. The one who believes that is Donald Trump, and he's already treating us in a hostile manner. When one side is hostile, then yes, THE TRADE RELATION BECOMES HOSTILE. This isn't about feelings of grandeur, its about being aware of the facts.
TL;DR:
Indonesia: We have a trade surplus with America
Trump: That means you have a
hostile trade relationship with us!
Indonesia: What?! Can't we talk this out! It's just a trade surplus!
Trump: I'm gonna rape you with trade tarrifs!
Indonesia: ... Well shit, guess we're in a trade war then.
YOU: Stop having delusions of grandeur! Your nation doesn't matter and its just a trade surplus!
Indonesia: ...