Indonesia's trade balance with France in 2015 showed a deficit of US$363 million, equivalent to Rp5 trillion at an exchange rate of Rp13,790 per US dollar. This deficit increased by 16.2 percent compared to the previous year, which only reached US$313.2 million.
This trade deficit with France is not unprecedented. Data from Indonesia's Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS) shows that Indonesia has consistently experienced a trade deficit with France since 2011. In 2011, Indonesia's deficit reached US$720 million, which then increased to US$796 million the following year.
French President Francois Hollande's visit to Indonesia was used as an opportunity to boost trade between the two countries. Increased cooperation is expected to increase exports of Indonesia's leading commodities, thus reducing the trade deficit.
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