RI asks KL to annul trade barriers on steel pipes<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The government said it had demanded that Malaysia revoke non-
\ntariff barriers against Indonesian steel pipes as compensation
\nfor Malaysia delaying opening up its automotive market under the
\nASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA) agreement this year.<\/p>\n
Director for Regional Cooperation at the Ministry of Industry
\nand Trade Budi Darmadi said on Thursday he had met Malaysian
\nofficials last week, and that they had appeared responsive to
\nIndonesia's request.<\/p>\n
\"As a member of AFTA, Indonesia can ask for special
\ncompensation from the Malaysian government because of this
\ndelay,\" he told The Jakarta Post, referring to Kuala Lumpur's
\ndecision to defer lowering tariffs protecting its automotive
\nmarket.<\/p>\n
Malaysia was allowed to delay opening up its automotive market
\nuntil 2005. The delay is meant to protect its national car
\nproject, Proton, from an influx of imported cars once trade
\nbarriers fall.<\/p>\n
Under the AFTA agreement, which came into effect this year,
\nimport tariffs on almost all goods traded among ASEAN members
\nmust be lowered to between five and zero percent.<\/p>\n
Indonesia and Malaysia are among the six original members of
\nthe Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), to which AFTA
\napplies.<\/p>\n
Malaysia, however, slapped non-import tariff barriers on
\nIndonesian steel pipe products, which Budi said was hurting steel
\nproducers here.<\/p>\n
The government earlier said that at least three of the ASEAN
\nmember countries -- Thailand, Malaysia and the Philippines --
\nwere actively imposing non-tariff barriers on a number of
\nIndonesian products.<\/p>\n
Thailand had imposed dumping duties on Indonesian float glass
\nproducts; while the Philippines had imposed safeguard duties on
\ncement products.<\/p>\n
Budi added that he had also met several Malaysian businessmen
\nto persuade them to buy Indonesian automotive spare parts.<\/p>\n
\"They have expressed interest, but want only Indonesian
\nproducts of consistent quality,\" he said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ri-asks-kl-to-annul-trade-barriers-on-steel-pipes-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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