Jakarta. Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto met with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on Friday to discuss a joint response to the sweeping US tariff hikes, which President Donald Trump has controversially dubbed “liberation day" for the American people.

Indonesia and Malaysia are among several nations now facing US tariffs exceeding the baseline 10 percent, imposed over alleged unfair trade practices.

Airlangga emphasized Malaysia’s pivotal role as the current chair of ASEAN, the regional economic bloc, in coordinating a united stance against the new US trade policy. The tariffs also target other ASEAN members, including Vietnam and Thailand, with individually assigned rates.

“We need to synchronize ASEAN’s response, as member states are impacted by the US reciprocal tariffs,” Airlangga said in a statement. “ASEAN must stand united in establishing communication with the US government.”

While acknowledging that the formulation of trade policy is a domestic matter for the US, Airlangga reiterated that ASEAN remains committed to fostering mutually beneficial relationships with its global trading partners.

Following his meeting with Prime Minister Anwar in Putrajaya, Airlangga also held a separate discussion with Malaysia’s Investment, Trade, and Industry Minister Zafrul Abdul Aziz on the same issue.

Several ASEAN countries are facing the steepest US tariff hikes under the Trump administration’s new policy. Tariffs include:

• 49 percent on Cambodia
• 48 percent on Laos
• 46 percent on Vietnam
• 44 percent on Myanmar
• 36 percent on Thailand
• 32 percent on Indonesia
• 24 percent on Malaysia and Brunei
• 17 percent on the Philippines

Singapore is the only ASEAN member to retain the baseline 10 percent US tariff rate.

Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati had previously warned of potential US tariff hikes targeting Indonesia, citing the country’s significant trade surplus with the US. In 2024, several ASEAN economies ranked among the top 20 contributors to the US trade deficit.

Data from Indonesia’s Trade Ministry shows the country posted a $16.84 billion trade surplus with the US last year -- the largest surplus it had with any trading partner. This was followed by surpluses with India ($15.39 billion), the Philippines ($8.85 billion), Malaysia ($4.13 billion), and Japan ($3.71 billion).

In the first two months of 2025, Indonesia recorded a $3.14 billion trade surplus with the US, up from $2.65 billion in the same period last year -- further cementing the US as the top contributor to Indonesia’s overall trade surplus.

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