RRI.CO.ID, Suzhou - Indonesia called for stronger trade cooperation, faster digital transformation, and a greener economic transition to help keep the Asia-Pacific region stable amid growing global uncertainty. The message was delivered by Indonesia’s Vice Minister of Trade, Dyah Roro Esti Widya Putri, during the 32nd APEC Ministers Responsible for Trade Meeting, or APEC MRT, held in Suzhou, China, on May 22–23, 2026.

Speaking at the meeting, Vice Minister Roro, reaffirmed Indonesia’s commitment to a multilateral trading system, with the World Trade Organization (WTO), remaining its main pillar. She said WTO reform must continue to respect member-driven and consensus-based principles. Indonesia also stressed that special and differential treatment should remain an important part of the system, especially for developing economies.

“Indonesia believes WTO reform must maintain a member-driven and consensus-based approach, while still providing space for the interests and development needs of developing countries,” Vice Minister Roro said, quoted from official statement on Monday, May 25, 2026.

Indonesia also underlined the need to restore an effective and credible WTO dispute settlement system. According to Vice Minister, this is important to maintain certainty and trust in international trade rules.

The meeting also highlighted the role of APEC in encouraging cooperation among economies as they face global transformation. China’s Minister of Commerce, Wang Wentao, who chaired the meeting, said APEC should promote openness, innovation, and stronger regional collaboration to respond to global economic uncertainty.

Another major issue discussed was the use of artificial intelligence in trade and supply chains. APEC economies agreed on the importance of strengthening security, reliability, experience sharing, capacity building, and voluntary discussions on trade regulations and standards related to AI.

For Indonesia, digital transformation and the green transition are not only challenges, but also new opportunities to expand regional trade and investment. Vice Minister Roro said digital technology, including AI, can improve cross-border trade efficiency and support the growth of the digital economy.

“Digital transformation and the green transition need to be supported through inclusive and development-oriented cooperation, so their benefits can be felt more widely, including by developing countries and MSMEs,” she said.

Indonesia also pushed for the development of a green economy through industrial downstreaming, the electric vehicle ecosystem, and trade in environmentally friendly goods and services. At the same time, Indonesia emphasized that global decarbonization efforts must be inclusive and take into account the readiness of each economy.

At the end of the meeting, APEC trade ministers adopted the 2026 APEC MRT Joint Statement, also known as the Suzhou Statement. The statement reaffirmed commitment to the Putrajaya Vision 2040, an open and rules-based global trading system, WTO reform, the Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific agenda, stronger digital trade cooperation, wider MSME participation, and closer regional efforts on environmental issues such as illegal fishing and illegal logging.