China Remains Indonesia's Main Non-Oil and Gas Export Market
In January 2025, Indonesia's trade surplus reached US$3.45 billion, marking 57 consecutive months of surplus since May 2020. The Head of the Fiscal Policy Agency at the Ministry of Finance stated that the trade surplus at the start of 2025 was higher than the previous month (December 2024) and also higher than the same period last year. The surplus benefited from increased product added value and trade diversification. By sector, processing industries, agriculture, and plantations contributed more to the trade balance. In January, Indonesia's exports totaled US$21.45 billion, up 4.68% year-on-year, with growth in non-oil and gas exports. Exports from the agriculture and processing industry sectors grew by 4
Indonesian Government Establishes Downstream Industry Task Force
Indonesia Records 57 Consecutive Months of Trade Surplus
XPeng Motors to Enter Indonesian Market This Year
Indonesian Government Prepares 35 Downstream Projects for Investors
Indonesia's Nickel Downstreaming Boosts Export Value Tenfold
The Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources demonstrated at the Mandiri Investment Forum that due to downstreaming in the nickel industry, the export value of nickel has surged tenfold. He stated that from 2017 to 2018, Indonesia's nickel export value stood at only $3.3 billion. Because President Joko Widodo halted the export of raw nickel materials, this figure has risen sharply. In 2023, it had reached approximately $33-35 billion, with an expected $40 billion in 2024. He noted that implementing the policy to stop nickel exports faced opposition and led to protests for several days, along with resistance from Western countries through the WTO, as these nations, reliant on Indonesian raw materials, pressured Indonesia to continue exporting unprocessed nickel.
High Alert! 71 Indonesian Immigration Officers Suspended for Extorting Chinese Citizens
Indonesia’s Minister of Immigration and Corrections stated that after receiving a diplomatic note from the Chinese Embassy regarding suspected illegal fees at Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta Airport, he suspended 71 immigration staff at the airport. Between February 2024 and January 2025, 60 Chinese citizens were victims of 44 extortion cases, and a total of IDR 32.75 million was refunded to the Chinese citizens. Investigation found that 39 immigration officers who examined Chinese citizens’ documents were allegedly involved in the illegal charges. The suspended personnel include officials at various levels and counter staff. The head of the airport immigration office has been replaced, and the suspended staff are undergoing internal
Indonesia Imposes Foreign Exchange Controls on Natural Resources – What’s the Impact?
On February 17, Indonesian President Prabowo issued Presidential Regulation No. 8 of 2025, announcing foreign exchange control policies for natural resource exports (DHE SDA). Starting March 1, 2025, exporters in the mining, plantation, forestry, and fisheries sectors must deposit 100% of their foreign exchange earnings into special bank accounts at state banks for a period of 12 months, with the exception of the oil and gas industry. Wang Zhanggui’s personal understanding is that this mainly targets raw material exports and should not apply to processed products. Once the official document is available, we will verify it. In addition, for exporters who do not comply, the government will take
New Aluminum Smelter to Be Built in West Kalimantan
Kayong Utara (Suara Kalbar) - Penebang Island, part of Pelapis Village, Karimata Islands District, Kayong Utara Regency, has been included in the National Strategic Plan (PSN) because a smelter will be built there to process bauxite into alumina. The smelter is three times the size of WHW in Kendawangan, Ketapang Regency, and will require 5,300 workers. The investment will cost between IDR 50 trillion and IDR 59 trillion, and Kayong Utara's (PAD) will soar to over IDR 100 billion.
Exporters Must Deposit All Foreign Exchange in Indonesian Banks Starting Next Month
President Prabowo announced a strategic policy to strengthen national economic resilience by mandating the deposit of natural resource export foreign exchange earnings (DHE SDA) domestically. Exporters in the mining (excluding oil and gas), plantation, forestry, and fisheries sectors must deposit all of their natural resource export foreign exchange earnings in special accounts at domestic banks within the national financial system for at least 12 months. The oil and gas sector will still follow the provisions of Government Regulation No. 36 of 2023. The government estimates that export foreign exchange earnings will increase by approximately US$80 billion in 2025, and if implemented throughout the year, the value could exceed
Indonesia Plans to Vigorously Develop Nuclear Power
Indonesia will build nuclear power plants with a total capacity of up to 4.3 GW. The President's Special Envoy for Climate and Energy stated that this is part of the government's energy transition strategy. The plants to be built are Small Modular Reactor (SMR) floating power plants, in addition to three 1 GW nuclear power centers. Previously, the National Energy Council revealed that Indonesia has 29 potential nuclear power plant sites, with a total capacity of up to 54 GW, and some potential sites from Sumatra to Papua have been planned. However, building nuclear power plants requires meeting three conditions, including establishing a Nuclear Energy Program Implementing Organization (NEPIO), stake
Indonesian Ambassador to China Djauhari Oratmangun Visits Shaanxi Automobile, Promoting Cooperation in New Energy and Intelligent Commercial Vehicles
Indonesian Ambassador to China Djauhari Oratmangun Visits Shaanxi Automobile——Promoting Cooperation in New Energy and Intelligent Commercial Vehicles Duta Besar Indonesia untuk Tiongkok, Djauhari Oratmangun, Mengunjungi Shaanxi Automobile——Mendorong Kerja Sama di Bidang Kendaraan Niaga Baru Energi dan