Indonesia's imports of Chinese textiles down in February

Indonesia's imports of textiles and textile products from China fell by $141.1 million or 36.6% in February 2025 from a year earlier, data from the Central Statistical Office showed.Overall imports for the month were $606.8 million, down 20.74%. Meanwhile, exports to the United States were the largest in February at $17.4 million, up 4.13% from January, with total exports reaching $1.02 billion for the month, and Indonesia's trade surplus with the United States amounting to $1.57 billion. In addition, the Ministry of Industry recorded a surge in investment in the domestic textile, garment and footwear industry, which stood at 29.92 trillion rupiah in 2023 and grew 31.1% to 39.21 trillion rupiah in 2024. four textile and garment companies have been issued with licenses to operate in the first quarter of 2025, which is expected to absorb 1,907 people. With a population of 281.6 million, Indonesia's market potential for apparel, footwear and headwear products is expected to reach Rp119.82 trillion. The implementation of new tariffs by the United States on Canada, Mexico, and China provides an opportunity for Indonesia to expand its market share in the U.S. The Ministry of Industry is also strengthening the textile and footwear ecosystem through a number of strategic policies.