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'We are not overreacting': Indonesia responds to China's criticism of trade restrictions
In response to Beijing’s displeasure toward Jakarta’s decision to impose restrictions on importing goods from China, the government of Indonesia has clarified that they would only apply to live animals.
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Staff members and and volunteers wearing protective face masks transfer medical supplies at a warehouse of an exhibition center that has been converted into a makeshift hospital in Wuhan, the epicenter of the new coronavirus outbreak, in China's central Hubei province, on Feb. 4. (AFP/STR)
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n response to Beijing’s displeasure toward Jakarta’s decision to impose restrictions on importing goods from China, the government of Indonesia has clarified that they would only apply to live animals.
“We would like to thank the Chinese government for its feedback, although we have to clarify that we only prohibited trade involving live animals,” presidential spokesman M. Fadjroel Rachman said in a statement on Wednesday.
Read also: 'Don't overreact': Chinese envoy responds to Indonesia's travel ban amid virus fears
Fadjroel also explained that Indonesia follows in several other countries’ footsteps in imposing a temporary ban on the live animal trade to and from mainland China.
Previously, Trade Minister Agus Suparmanto stated that Indonesia would halt imports of live animals from China, adding the government was considering the possibility of banning imports of other goods from the country as well.
“We will obviously stop live animal imports from China and are still considering banning other products,” Agus said on Monday.
This statement drew criticism from Chinese Ambassador to Indonesia Xiao Qian, who asked Indonesia to remain calm.
“In this situation, we need to be calm. Don’t overreact and cause a negative impact on investments and the economy,” Qian said, citing the World Health Organization’s recommendation for other countries to refrain from restricting travel or trade with China.
Responding to Qian’s statement, Fadjroel said he did not agree that Indonesia was overreacting in this case.
“Other countries also did the same as our government. We will keep it that way until WHO revokes certain bans related to coronavirus outbreak prevention,” he said.
