Government meets Chinese mining entrepreneurs to discuss obstacles to their business operations
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The government met with Chinese mining entrepreneurs at the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) to discuss obstacles in their business operations in Indonesia.
“This afternoon I, alongside Rosan Roeslani, Minister of Investment, and Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa, Minister of Finance, and the Ambassador, invited Chinese investors who have been operating here; we conducted a coordination meeting on all the obstacles they face,” said Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Bahlil Lahadalia at the ESDM Office, Jakarta, on Tuesday.
In addition to Bahlil, Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa and the Minister of Investment and Downstreaming Rosan Roeslani attended as representatives of the Indonesian government in a special forum with Chinese mining entrepreneurs.
Bahlil conveyed that the government wants Chinese mining companies to remain operating. However, on the other hand, the government also wants the country to secure revenue from mining operations.
Bahlil disclosed that there were around 30 companies and investors active in the mineral and coal mining (minerba) sector in the coordination meeting.
“This afternoon there were around almost 30 companies we talked about; the sector is mining, mostly mining,” Bahlil said.
Regarding the meeting, Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa briefly touched on a letter from the China Chamber of Commerce.
The letter contained concerns from Chinese businesspeople about issues such as tax and royalty increases, law enforcement, increasingly strict work visa rules, and foreign exchange controls on export proceeds, among others.
“These are with the Chinese businesspeople just now; we have identified the problems they face, there are their complaints, we have listened. If we can solve them, we will solve them,” said Purbaya.
On 15 April 2026, the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources implemented a new formula for setting the Mineral Price Reference (HPM) to deliver regulations that are adaptive, fair, and transparent, as stated by the Director-General for Minerals and Coal of the Ministry, Tri Winarno.
The changes are contained in Ministerial Decree ESDM Number 144 of 2026 concerning Amendments to Kepmen ESDM Number 268.K/MB.01/MEM.B/2025 regarding Guidelines for Setting the Reference Price for the Sale of Metallic and Coal Mineral Commodities.
Meanwhile, regarding royalties for mining commodities, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Bahlil Lahadalia stated that the introduction of royalties for copper, tin, nickel, gold, and silver would be postponed in order to build a better formulation.
19 May 2026 21:29 WIB
Energy and Mineral Resources Minister (ESDM) Bahlil Lahadalia provides remarks when approached at the Office of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, Jakarta, on Tuesday (19/5/2026). (ANTARA/Putu Indah Savitri)