Indonesia to apply for CPTPP membership this year: minister

Multinational trade pact is 'low-hanging fruit' compared with traditional FTAs, Hartarto says

20240524 Future of Asia (Day2-4) Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto

Indonesia's Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto speaks at the Future of Asia forum in Tokyo on May 24. (Photo by Yuki Kohara)

ISMI DAMAYANTI, MAKI SAGAMI and IYO SENGA, Nikkei staff writers

May 24, 2024 16:24 JST

TOKYO -- Indonesia will apply to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership trade pact "within this year," Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto said Friday, seeking a faster export boost than from bilateral deals.

Southeast Asia's biggest economy has concluded the internal process for submitting the application, Hartarto told Nikkei on the sidelines of the Future of Asia forum.