#中国投资者涌向印尼 Recently, Chinese investors have been accelerating their investment shift to Indonesia in response to high US tariffs (over 30%) on Chinese goods, seeking to circumvent trade barriers and expand into Southeast Asian markets. As Southeast Asia's largest economy, Indonesia's US tariff on exports is only 19%, comparable to neighboring countries like Malaysia, Thailand, and the Philippines, and lower than Vietnam's 20%. In the first half of 2025, direct investment from China and Hong Kong in Indonesia grew 6.5%, reaching US$8.2 billion. The Subang Smartpolitan Industrial Park in West Java, favored by Chinese companies in sectors such as toy, textile, and electric vehicle manufacturing, saw a surge in inquiries, and industrial property prices rose 15-25% year-on-year in the first quarter of 2025, the fastest pace in 20 years.

Indonesia's economy grew by 5.12% in the second quarter of 2025, the fastest pace in nearly two years, primarily driven by strong household consumption (which accounts for over half of GDP). Indonesia's vast consumer market of 270 million people and young workforce have attracted Chinese companies as both a production base and a market target. For example, a Chinese motorcycle lighting manufacturer enjoys a profit margin of 20-30% in Indonesia, significantly higher than China's 3%. However, Indonesia faces challenges such as bureaucracy, an incomplete supply chain, and insufficient infrastructure. Furthermore, China's dominance of Indonesia's nickel smelting industry (approximately 75%) raises concerns about dependence on a strategic sector.

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto met with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in November 2024, strengthening bilateral ties. However, his recent visit to the US suggests Indonesia is seeking a balance between China and the US. The global trade environment remains volatile. Despite a 90-day extension of the tariff suspension between China and the US, uncertainty persists, and Trump has threatened to double tariffs on Indian exports. Indonesia needs to address regulatory and logistical bottlenecks to translate the investment boom into long-term economic benefits while maintaining strategic autonomy.