Posted originally on CTH on July 22, 2025 | Sundance

Following an oval office meeting and later discussion with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos, President Trump announced a trade agreement has been reached.

President Ferdinand Marcos, of the Philippines, is just leaving the White House, with all of his many Representatives. It was a beautiful visit, and we concluded our Trade Deal, whereby The Philippines is going OPEN MARKET with the United States, and ZERO Tariffs. The Philippines will pay a 19% Tariff. In addition, we will work together Militarily. It was a Great Honor to be with the President. He is Highly Respected in his Country, as he should be. He is also a very good, and tough, negotiator. We extend our warmest regards to the wonderful people of The Philippines! (link)

Additionally, the White House has announced a trade agreement with Indonesia for a similar 19% tariff rate.

WHITE HOUSE – Today, the United States of America (the United States) and the Republic of Indonesia (Indonesia) agreed to a Framework for negotiating an Agreement on Reciprocal Trade to strengthen our bilateral economic relationship, which will provide both countries’ exporters unprecedented access to each other’s markets.  The Agreement on Reciprocal Trade will build upon our longstanding economic relationship, including the U.S.-Indonesia Trade and Investment Framework Agreement, signed on July 16, 1996.

Key terms of the Agreement on Reciprocal Trade between the United States and Indonesia will include:

• Indonesia will eliminate approximately 99 percent of tariff barriers for a full range of U.S. industrial and U.S. food and agricultural products exported to Indonesia.
• The United States will reduce to 19 percent the reciprocal tariffs, as set forth in Executive Order 14257 of April 2, 2025, on originating goods of Indonesia, and may also identify certain commodities that are not naturally available or domestically produced in the United States for a further reduction in the reciprocal tariff rate.
• The United States and Indonesia will negotiate facilitative rules of origin that ensure that the benefits of the agreement accrue primarily to the United States and Indonesia.
• The United States and Indonesia will work together to address Indonesia’s non-tariff barriers that affect bilateral trade and investment in priority areas, including exempting U.S. companies and originating goods from local content requirements; accepting vehicles built to U.S. federal motor vehicle safety and emissions standards; accepting FDA certificates and prior marketing authorizations for medical devices and pharmaceuticals; removing certain labeling requirements; exempting U.S. exports of cosmetics, medical devices, and other manufactured goods from certain requirements; taking steps to resolve many long-standing intellectual property issues identified in USTR’s Special 301 Report; and addressing U.S. concerns with conformity assessment procedures.  Indonesia will work to address barriers for U.S. exports, including through the removal of import restrictions or licensing requirements on U.S. remanufactured goods or their parts; the elimination of pre-shipment inspection or verification requirements on imports of U.S. goods; and the adoption and implementation of good regulatory practices.
• The United States and Indonesia have also committed to address and prevent barriers to U.S. food and agricultural products in the Indonesian market, including exempting U.S. food and agricultural products from all import licensing regimes, including commodity balance requirements; ensuring transparency and fairness with respect to geographical indications; providing permanent Fresh Food of Plant Origin (FFPO) designation for all applicable U.S. plant products; and recognizing U.S. regulatory oversight, including listing of all U.S. meat, poultry, and dairy facilities and accepting certificates issued by U.S. regulatory authorities.
• Indonesia has committed to address barriers impacting digital trade, services, and investment.  Indonesia will provide certainty regarding the ability to transfer personal data out of its territory to the United States.  Indonesia has committed to eliminate existing HTS tariff lines on “intangible products” and suspend related requirements on import declarations; to support a permanent moratorium on customs duties on electronic transmissions at the WTO immediately and without conditions; and to take effective actions to implement the Joint Initiative on Services Domestic Regulation, including submitting its revised Specific Commitments for certification by the World Trade Organization (WTO).
• Indonesia commits to join the Global Forum on Steel Excess Capacity and take effective actions to address global excess capacity in the steel sector and its impacts.
• Indonesia commits to protecting internationally recognized labor rights.  Indonesia will, among other commitments, adopt and implement a prohibition on the importation of goods produced by forced or compulsory labor; amend its labor laws to ensure that workers’ rights to freedom of association and collective bargaining are fully protected; and strengthen enforcement of its labor laws.
• Indonesia commits to adopt and maintain high levels of environmental protection and to effectively enforce its environmental laws, including by taking measures to improve forest sector governance and combat trade in illegally harvested forest products; encourage a more resource efficient economy; accept and fully implement the WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies; and combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing and illegal wildlife trade.
• Indonesia will remove restrictions on exports to the United States of industrial commodities, including critical minerals.
• The United States and Indonesia are committed to strengthening economic and national security cooperation to enhance supply chain resilience and innovation through complementary actions to address unfair trade practices of other countries, and through cooperation on export controls, investment security, and combatting duty evasion.
• In addition, the United States and Indonesia take note of the following forthcoming commercial deals between U.S. and Indonesian companies:
  • Procurement of aircraft currently valued at 3.2 billion USD.
  • Purchase of agriculture products, including soybeans, soybeans meal, wheat, and cotton with an estimated total value of 4.5 billion USD.
  • Purchases of energy products, including liquefied petroleum gas, crude oil, and gasoline, with an estimated value of 15 billion USD.

In the coming weeks, the United States and Indonesia will negotiate and finalize the Agreement on Reciprocal Trade, prepare the Agreement for signature, and undertake domestic formalities in advance of the Agreement entering into force.