<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><h1 class="gmail-title" style="margin: 0px 0px 2px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: 1.833em; line-height: 26px;">Harris, in Indonesia, calls for ‘resilient’ critical minerals supply chains</h1><div class="gmail-timestamp" style="margin: 4px 0px 12px; padding: 8px 0px 10px; border-width: 1px 0px; border-top-style: solid; border-bottom-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(192, 192, 192); border-bottom-color: rgb(192, 192, 192); font-weight: bold;">Inside US Trade, September 6, 2023 at 2:11 PM<div class="gmail-socialmedia" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; float: right;"></div></div><div class="gmail-body" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 15px; border: 0px;" class="">The U.S. will work with Indonesia to ensure “resilient” supply chains for critical minerals, Vice President Kamala Harris said in Jakarta this week, committing to boost trade between the two countries.</div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 15px; border: 0px;" class="">Harris is in Indonesia for an Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit as well as bilateral meetings with ASEAN leaders. On Wednesday, the vice president met with Indonesian President Joko Widodo. Indonesia has pressed the U.S. to ensure it benefits from U.S. tax credits under the Inflation Reduction Act, proposing that critical minerals key to electric vehicle batteries be addressed via the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity.</div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 15px; border: 0px;" class="">Harris told Widodo that the U.S. “look[s] forward to working with you to increase the flow of goods and services between our nations, including through the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework,” according to<span class="gmail-Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2023/09/06/remarks-by-vice-president-harris-and-president-joko-widodo-of-the-republic-of-indonesia-before-bilateral-meeting/" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; color: rgb(0, 102, 204);" class="">remarks</a><span class="gmail-Apple-converted-space"> </span>released by the White House.</div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 15px; border: 0px;" class="">“We will also continue to work with Indonesia to build resilient supply chains, including for the critical minerals required to expand our clean energy economies,” she added, without elaborating.</div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 15px; border: 0px;" class="">Indonesia, a member of all four IPEF pillars,<span class="gmail-Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="https://insidetrade.com/node/177383" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; color: rgb(0, 102, 204);" class="">has pushed for talks on critical minerals</a><span class="gmail-Apple-converted-space"> </span>to be included in the framework, appealing directly to Deputy USTR Sarah Bianchi in July. A U.S. official at the time said that critical minerals had been discussed as a part of the framework’s broader focus on supply chain resilience but not as part of “a new IPEF-led critical minerals pact.”</div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 15px; border: 0px;" class="">Earlier this year Indonesia floated the idea of<span class="gmail-Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="https://insidetrade.com/node/176617" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; color: rgb(0, 102, 204);" class="">a “limited” free trade agreement</a><span class="gmail-Apple-converted-space"> </span>with the U.S. to ensure it can benefit from IRA tax incentives for electric vehicles. Indonesia is home to a large reserve of nickel, a key ingredient in battery production.</div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 15px; border: 0px;" class="">According to<span class="gmail-Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="https://setkab.go.id/presiden-joko-widodo-dan-wapres-kamala-harris-bahas-perwujudan-kemitraan-strategis-indonesia-as/" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; color: rgb(0, 102, 204);" class="">Indonesia’s readout</a><span class="gmail-Apple-converted-space"> </span>of the meeting with Harris, Widodo “encouraged the realization of” a critical minerals agreement, saying it would aid in “cooperation related to critical minerals and the realization of the just energy transition partnership partnership,” according to an informal translation.</div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 15px; border: 0px;" class="">The Biden administration has agreed to a limited deal with fellow IPEF member Japan on critical minerals for the sake of IRA eligibility. The administration also is in talks on this issue with the European Union; the U.S. and the United Kingdom have similarly said they would launch such negotiations.</div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 15px; border: 0px;" class="">During the bilateral meeting, Widodo also advocated for expanding market access for Indonesian goods via the Generalized System of Preferences, according to Indonesia’s readout. GSP lapsed at the end of 2020 and has not yet been renewed by Congress.</div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 15px; border: 0px;" class="">According to a<span class="gmail-Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/09/06/readout-of-vice-president-kamala-harriss-meeting-with-president-joko-widodo-of-indonesia/" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; color: rgb(0, 102, 204);" class="">White House readout</a><span class="gmail-Apple-converted-space"> </span>of the Harris-Widodo meeting, the two sides have agreed to “elevate the U.S.-Indonesia relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.” This includes a focus on “economic growth and development,” energy, the digital economy and sustainability, among other issues, the readout says. --<span class="gmail-Apple-converted-space"> </span><em style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;" class="">Hannah Monicken</em><span class="gmail-Apple-converted-space"> </span>(<a href="mailto:hmonicken@iwpnews.com" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; color: rgb(0, 102, 204);" class="">hmonicken@iwpnews.com</a>)</div><div class=""><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div></div><div class="">
Arthur Stamoulis<br class="">Citizens Trade Campaign<br class="">(202) 494-8826<br class=""><br class=""><br class=""><br class="">
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