Kadin chief calls for wider trade corridors amid global volatility

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) Chairman Anindya Bakrie urged policymakers to expand trade and investment corridors, calling diversification and resource downstreaming vital to insulating Southeast Asia's largest economy from geopolitical volatility.

Speaking Tuesday at the B20 USA 2026 Summit in Washington, Anindya outlined a roadmap for economic resilience as Indonesia—with a population of 285 million and a median age of 30—aims to generate 4 million to 5 million jobs annually.

"Diversifying trade partners, downstreaming natural resources and strengthening investment collaboration are strategic steps to bolster national economic resilience," Anindya said in a statement.

He noted that domestic mineral processing boosted Indonesian nickel exports from $3 billion in raw ore to roughly $33 billion in stainless steel and battery materials, with similar value-addition strategies underway for bauxite and copper.

To reduce reliance on top partners China and the United States—with whom Indonesia records $160 billion and $40 billion in bilateral trade, respectively—Kadin is backing broader trade pacts, including the Indonesia-EU Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement slated for finalization later this month.

With domestic investment at 40 percent of gross domestic product, Indonesian firms and sovereign wealth fund Danantara are also deploying capital abroad, including acquiring stakes in West Texas oil and gas fields—a milestone Anindya called "unthinkable a decade ago"—and developing an Indonesian Hajj Village in Mecca.

He concluded by urging governments to involve the private sector early in policymaking and integrate small businesses into global supply chains.

Translator: Muhammad Harianto, Yashinta Difa
Editor: Aditya Eko Sigit Wicaksono
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