REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Indonesia's Trade Ministry has encouraged various trade agreements with other countries to boost exports. It was done in accordance to President Joko Widodo (Jokowi's) order, Minister of Trade Enggartiasto Lukita said.

"We should establish a new market and encourage various trade agreements as part of the efforts to boost exports," Lukita stated at a press conference here on Tuesday.

Lukita remarked that Indonesia had signed three trade agreements in the four years of Jokowi and Vice President Jusuf Kalla government.

Firstly, Indonesia signed a trade agreement with Palestine to support the country consistently. "It is not rhetoric. We are consistently giving our political support and economic partnership," Lukita noted.

Through the agreement, Palestinian commodities such as dates and olive oil would not be charged. "We avoid a free rider problem. Palestine has allowed us to export our commodities and we allowed them to import what they need," Lukita added.

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Indonesia has also signed an agreement with Chile. Meanwhile, Indonesia-Australia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) has been discussed by the two countries. "We are waiting for a policy from the Foreign Affair Minister Retno Marsudi," he revealed.

The trade ministry has set a target of 13 agreements for this year. "As a result, we can implement those agreements in the first semester of 2019," the minister explained.

The ministry, he noted, involved entrepreneurs to conduct a trade mission. "This is the right time to conduct promotions and transactions," Lukita pointed out.

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