Indonesia-China Bilateral Trade Analysis 2023

Complete trade statistics: $130.21B total volume โ€ขIndonesia surplus: $5.27B

Indonesia โ†’ China

$67.74B

Exports (2023)

China โ†’ Indonesia

$62.47B

Imports (2023)

Trade Balance

$5.27B

Surplus for Indonesia

Total Trade

$130.21B

Combined Volume

Trade Flow Visualization

Direct trade relationship between Indonesia and China. Green line shows exports from Indonesia, red line shows imports.

Detailed Product Trade Analysis

Comprehensive breakdown of trade flows by product category, revealing the specialized nature of the Indonesia-China commercial relationship and competitive positioning in global markets.

Indonesia โ†’ China Exports

$67.74B
2023 Total

Export Market Intelligence

Product Diversity:
Highly Diversified
Market Share:
21.8% top product
1Ferro-alloys: ferro-nickel
$14.75B
21.8% of exports
2Lignite: whether or not pulverised, but not agglomerated, excluding jet
$8.44B
12.5% of exports
3Coal: (other than anthracite and bituminous), whether or not pulverised but not agglomerated
$3.68B
5.4% of exports
4Vegetable oils: palm oil and its fractions, other than crude, whether or not refined, but not chemically modified
$3.66B
5.4% of exports
5Coal: bituminous, whether or not pulverised, but not agglomerated
$3.27B
4.8% of exports
6Nickel: oxide sinters and other intermediate products of nickel metallurgy
$2.67B
3.9% of exports
7Petroleum gases and other gaseous hydrocarbons: liquefied, natural gas
$2.48B
3.7% of exports
8Nickel: nickel mattes
$2.36B
3.5% of exports
9Wood pulp: chemical wood pulp, soda or sulphate, (other than dissolving grades), semi-bleached or bleached, of non-coniferous wood
$2.04B
3.0% of exports
10Copper ores and concentrates
$1.90B
2.8% of exports

๐ŸŽฏ Strategic Export Focus

Indonesia's export portfolio to China demonstrates strong diversification across multiple sectors, with ferro-alloys: ferro-nickel representing a key competitive advantage in this bilateral market.

China โ†’ Indonesia Imports

$62.47B
2023 Total

Import Dependency Profile

Supply Diversity:
Well Diversified
Critical Imports:
3.2% concentration
1Telephones for cellular networks or for other wireless networks
$2.00B
3.2% of imports
2Telephone sets and other apparatus for the transmission or reception of voice, images or other data, via a wired or wireless network: parts
$1.69B
2.7% of imports
3Automatic data processing machines: portable, weighing not more than 10kg, consisting of at least a central processing unit, a keyboard and a display
$1.09B
1.8% of imports
4Communication apparatus (excluding telephone sets or base stations): machines for the reception, conversion and transmission or regeneration of voice, images or other data, including switching and routing apparatus
$770.74M
1.2% of imports
5Mechanical shovels, excavators and shovel loaders: with a 360 degree revolving super structure
$746.03M
1.2% of imports
6Buildings: prefabricated, not of wood
$674.05M
1.1% of imports
7Petroleum oils and oils from bituminous minerals, not crude: preparations n.e.c. containing by weight 70% or more of petroleum oils or oils from bituminous minerals: these being the basic constituents of the preparations: waste oils
$649.68M
1.0% of imports
8Vegetables, alliaceous: garlic, fresh or chilled
$636.54M
1.0% of imports
9Coke and semi-coke: of coal, lignite or peat, whether or not agglomerated: retort carbon
$610.46M
1.0% of imports
10Reception and transmission apparatus: for use with the apparatus of heading no. 8525 to 8528, excluding aerials and aerial reflectors
$574.40M
0.9% of imports

๐Ÿ“ฆ Import Strategy Analysis

Indonesia's import pattern from China reveals strategic sourcingin telephones for cellular networks or for other wireless networks, highlighting complementary economic structures and potential supply chain optimization opportunities.

Competitive Trade Position Analysis

๐Ÿ†

Market Leadership

Indonesia demonstrates competitive strength in exportingferro-alloys: ferro-nickel to China, leveraging comparative advantages.

Export Leader in 20+ Categories
๐Ÿ”„

Trade Complementarity

The bilateral relationship showsstrongcomplementarity, with each country specializing in different sectors.

Highly Balanced
๐Ÿ“ˆ

Growth Potential

The $130.21B trade volume indicates substantial economic integration with room for expansion in emerging sectors.

Major Partnership

Executive Summary: Indonesia-China Trade Relationship

Key Trade Highlights 2023

  • Total Trade Volume: $130.21 billionrepresenting a significant bilateral economic relationship
  • Trade Balance: Indonesia maintains a surplus of $5.27 billion
  • Export Focus: Indonesia's primary exports include ferro-alloys: ferro-nickel, lignite: whether or not pulverised, but not agglomerated, excluding jet, coal: (other than anthracite and bituminous), whether or not pulverised but not agglomerated
  • Import Dependencies: Key imports from China include telephones for cellular networks or for other wireless networks, telephone sets and other apparatus for the transmission or reception of voice, images or other data, via a wired or wireless network: parts, automatic data processing machines: portable, weighing not more than 10kg, consisting of at least a central processing unit, a keyboard and a display

Strategic Trade Indicators

Trade IntensityHigh
Export DiversificationDiversified
Trade Balance HealthBalanced

๐Ÿ“ˆ Market Position: This bilateral trade relationship represents one of the world's largest trade partnerships, with complementary economic strengths driving sustained commercial exchange.

Historical Trade Analysis & Economic Context

Trade Evolution Timeline

2019-2023: Recent Trends

Current trade volume of $130.21B represents the culmination of evolving bilateral commercial relationships, influenced by global supply chain shifts and changing economic priorities.

2015-2019: Growth Period

Sustained expansion in bilateral trade driven by complementary economic structures, with Indonesia leveraging its comparative advantages in ferro-alloys: ferro-nickel.

2010-2015: Foundation Building

Establishment of modern trade frameworks and reduction of barriers, facilitating increased commercial exchange and investment flows between the two economies.

Pre-2010: Early Development

Initial stages of bilateral trade relationship development, with focus on traditional export-import patterns and gradual market integration.

Key Economic Drivers

1

Comparative Advantage

Indonesia's specialization in ferro-alloys: ferro-nickelcomplements China's demand patterns, creating natural trade synergies.

2

Supply Chain Integration

Deep integration in global value chains has strengthened bilateral linkages, particularly in telephones for cellular networks or for other wireless networks.

3

Market Access & Trade Policy

Favorable trade agreements and market access conditions have facilitated the growth of this $130.21B bilateral relationship.

Trade Pattern Insights

Trade ComplementarityAsymmetric
Seasonal VariationsModerate
Product ConcentrationLow
Market DependencyModerate
๐Ÿ”ฎ

Trade Relationship Outlook

The $130.21B bilateral trade volume positions this relationship for continued growth, supported by technological advancement, evolving consumer preferences, and strengthening economic ties. Key opportunities lie in expanding cooperation in emerging sectors while managing potential supply chain vulnerabilities.

Economic Impact & Strategic Outlook

Economic Impact Assessment

๐Ÿ’ฐ

Trade Volume Impact

The $130.21 billion bilateral trade volume represents a major economic driverfor both economies.

Economic Significance: Critical
๐Ÿญ

Industrial Integration

Trade flows in ferro-alloys: ferro-nickel and telephones for cellular networks or for other wireless networks demonstrate deep industrial linkages and supply chain integration.

Supply Chain Integration: Diversified
โš–๏ธ

Trade Balance Effects

Indonesia's trade surplus of $5.27 billion strengthens its overall economic position in this bilateral relationship.

Balance Impact: Well Balanced

Strategic Future Outlook

๐Ÿš€Growth Opportunities

Emerging Sectors
Technology transfer and innovation cooperation in lignite: whether or not pulverised, but not agglomerated, excluding jet present expansion opportunities.
Market Diversification
Beyond current focus on telephones for cellular networks or for other wireless networks, new product categories offer potential for trade expansion.

โš ๏ธRisk Factors

Supply Chain Vulnerabilities
Moderate concentration in key sectors requires monitoring
Market Competition
Global competition in ferro-alloys: ferro-nickel may affect future market positioning.

๐ŸŽฏStrategic Recommendations

  • Strengthen cooperation in high-value sectors beyond current trade patterns
  • Develop alternative supply chains to reduce dependency risks
  • Explore joint ventures in emerging technology sectors
  • Enhance trade facilitation and reduce transaction costs

Market Position & Competitive Summary

The bilateral trade relationship between Indonesia and China represents a total trade volume of $130.21 billion in 2023. This partnership demonstrates a favorable trade balance for Indonesia, with exports exceeding importsby $5.27 billion.

Export Strengths

Indonesia's exports to China total $67.74 billion, with competitive advantages in ferro-alloys: ferro-nickel, representing $14.75B or21.8% of bilateral exports.

Import Dependencies

Imports from China amount to $62.47 billion, highlighting economic interdependence in telephones for cellular networks or for other wireless networks, with Telephones for cellular networks or for other wireless networks comprising3.2% of total imports.

The trade relationship reflects broader economic patterns and comparative advantages. The trade surplus indicates Indonesia's competitive position in this bilateral relationship. This partnership is characterized by complementary trade flows, with each country specializing in different product categories based on their respective economic strengths, industrial capabilities, and position in global value chains.

Download Bilateral Trade Data

Access detailed trade data between Indonesia and China in multiple formats.

Data Source: CEPII BACI (Base pour l'Analyse du Commerce International) โ€ข Last Updated: January 2025 โ€ข Coverage: 1995-2023