Indonesia's exports to the United States (US) in 2016 slightly decreased by 0.62 percent to US$ 16.14 billion, while Indonesia's imports from the US fell by 3.88 percent to US$ 7.3 billion. As a result, Indonesia's trade surplus with the US increased by 2.25 percent to US$ 8.84 billion. As is known, Indonesia has consistently recorded a trade surplus with the US.
Since 2012, Indonesia's trade surplus with the US has continuously increased. The highest increase occurred in 2013, reaching 102.5 percent to US$ 6.6 billion from US$ 3.27 billion the previous year. However, the value of Indonesia-US trade during the 2012-2016 period actually decreased from US$ 26.47 billion to US$ 23.44 billion due to a decline in imports of goods from the US.
US Vice President Mike Pence's visit to Indonesia can be leveraged to boost trade between the two countries. This is because US President Donald Trump's policies tend to be protectionist. Trump has even accused several trading partners of unfair practices that have resulted in US trade deficits, including Indonesia.
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