During his working visit to London, Minister of Coordinating Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto met with the UK Secretary of State for International Trade, The Rt. Hon. Greg Hands MP, at the Department for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy. The ministers convened in a historic room from the Churchill era for their discussions. Airlangga commenced the dialogue by sharing the progress of significant Indonesia-UK cooperation, such as the establishment of King's College in Indonesia and the peaceful one-day election process. The close relationship between the two countries is marked by the Joint Economic and Trade Commission (JETCO) agreement, currently collaborating in three working groups. Airlangga expressed hope for JETCO to yield concrete results, particularly in energy and digital economy sectors. Minister Greg, accompanied by the UK Prime Minister's Special Envoy to Indonesia, Richard Graham, who speaks fluent Indonesian, expressed deep impressions of Indonesia's election process, comparing it to the UK's. Highlighting the UK's expertise in clean energy, Greg offered cooperation in clean energy tailored to Indonesia's archipelagic nature. The implementation of clean energy would be associated with subsidy policy management.
Greg also raised concerns about the lengthy registration process and the application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) measures for dairy products within the JETCO framework. In response, Airlangga emphasized Indonesia's deregulation efforts aimed at facilitating dairy product registration, supporting increased demand through the government's new program of free milk for students.During the meeting, Airlangga addressed the impact of the UK's due diligence rules on Indonesian palm oil products and called for fair treatment. Indonesia is currently voicing disagreement with the EU's sustainability product regulations, alongside Malaysia, seeking collaborative management of sustainability product regulations. The ministers also discussed ideas for free trade cooperation, Indonesia's accession to the OECD, and regional cooperation. Indonesia is prepared to open free trade with the UK. In response, Greg considered Indonesia's accession to the CPTPP, with the UK's recent membership, important. Richard Graham, the UK Prime Minister's Special Envoy to Indonesia, discussed cooperation in vital mineral production to drive battery industries. Concluding the meeting, Greg invited Airlangga to visit the world map storage area where Churchill devised World War strategy.
