Chinese Businessmen Protest to Prabowo, Purbaya and Bahlil Unitedly Defend RI Policies

The government is responding to the protests from the Chinese Chamber of Commerce regarding the investment climate in Indonesia, which were conveyed through a letter to President Prabowo Subianto. This ranges from Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa to Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Bahlil Lahadalia. Both emphasise that government policies continue to prioritise national interests, legal certainty, and protection for legal investments. From the Finance Ministry’s perspective, Purbaya asserts that the government will not trouble foreign companies’ activities as long as they are conducted in accordance with Indonesian law. “As long as they conduct legal business, there’s no problem. If it’s illegal, they must pay to make it legal. They must fulfil all their obligations,” said Purbaya in Jakarta on Wednesday (13/5/2026). “If they conduct business legally, there’s no issue. So they don’t need to be afraid,” he added. Purbaya also touched on the handling of around 40 Chinese-origin steel companies that were previously reported as problematic. According to him, the Directorate General of Taxes has communicated with those companies to promptly adjust their business activities in line with regulations. “The tax office has already spoken with them. The point is, they certainly want to go legal. But we’ll see what happens going forward. If there’s no further movement from them, we’ll pursue it again,” he stated. Regarding complaints about the planned increase in royalties and levies in the mineral sector, Purbaya emphasised that the government will continue to prioritise national interests in managing natural resources. “For minerals, it’s fine, those minerals belong to us,” he said. Nevertheless, Purbaya noted that policies on royalty increases or additional levies have not yet been implemented and are still in the discussion stage. “Not yet, not imposed, it’s just a plan,” he remarked. Meanwhile, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Bahlil Lahadalia admitted that he has not yet received the protest letter from the Chinese Chamber of Commerce to President Prabowo directly. However, he assured that communications with investors and the Chinese Ambassador remain ongoing.