Tangerang, Banten. Indonesia’s exports to the United States and China remain stable despite escalating trade tensions between the two global economic powers, Trade Minister Budi Santoso said on Wednesday.

Speaking at an event in Tangerang, Budi said that Indonesia’s exports continue to show positive growth even as Washington and Beijing impose new trade barriers on each other.

“If we look at the data, there’s no problem. Our exports continue to rise, and our largest trade surplus is actually with the United States,” Budi said.

While Indonesia still runs a trade deficit with China, exports to the country have also been increasing, he noted.

Budi added that Indonesia’s main challenge lies not in external market access but in improving its own competitiveness. Many potential export products, particularly from rural regions, remain excluded from global markets because they do not yet meet international standards.

“Our principle is simple: we want to export whatever we can. Even villages have export potential, but many products are not yet standardized,” he said.

According to data from Central Statistics Agency (BPS), from January to August 2025, Indonesia’s non-oil and gas exports to China reached $40.44 billion, up 8.68 percent year-on-year. Exports to the United States totaled $20.6 billion, while shipments to India were valued at $12.59 billion.

The top three countries contributing to Indonesia’s trade surplus during that period were the United States ($12.2 billion), India ($9.43 billion), and the Philippines ($5.85 billion). The largest deficits were with China ($13.09 billion), Singapore ($3.55 billion), and Australia ($3.49 billion).

Trade friction between the US and China has flared up again after US President Donald Trump announced plans to impose 100 percent tariffs on Chinese goods and restrict the export of critical software technologies. The move was a response to Beijing's decision to limit exports of rare earth elements, expanding state control over high-tech manufacturing and prohibiting foreign cooperation without government approval.