Minister of Trade, Zulkifli Hasan, expressed his belief that Indonesia is poised to become the world's leading producer of footwear. Speaking during his visit to the Indo Leather & Footwear exhibition at JIExpo Kemayoran, Jakarta, Zulkifli, commonly known as Zulhas, conveyed his pride in the shoe industry exhibition, envisioning Indonesia's rise to the top position in global footwear production in the near future. He highlighted the government's current efforts to eliminate tariff barriers in export destination countries, particularly within the European Union (EU), to enhance Indonesia's competitive edge on the global market.
Zulkifli emphasized that the government is working to promptly resolve tariff-related hurdles in export destinations like the EU, aiming to finalize the EU-CEPA agreement within the year. This move is expected to empower Indonesian products to compete effectively with other countries, such as Vietnam and Thailand, which enjoy tariff exemptions. The Minister also took the opportunity to visit the Jakarta x Beauty 2023 exhibition at the Jakarta Convention Center. During this visit, he confidently stated that Indonesian products are on par with those from anywhere else, be it Korea, China, or other regions, asserting that Indonesian products excel in both quality and packaging.
