Increased Competitiveness of Indonesia's Rubber Rubber Exports After The Enactment of ACFTA (Asean-China Free Trade Agreement)

Main Article Content

Febriani Febriani
Universitas Padjadjaran
Wisnu Hendra Kartika Aji
Universitas Padjadjaran
Didi Widia
Universitas Padjajaran

The ASEAN-China Free Trade Agreement (ACFTA), which came into effect in January 2010, aims to increase economic cooperation and remove trade barriers. However, the value of Indonesia's rubber exports decreased significantly after the implementation of this agreement. This study uses the gravity model and Revealed Trade Advantage (RCTA) method to analyze the factors affecting the decline in the value of Indonesia's rubber exports. The data used covers the period 2001-2022 and is taken from various sources including TradeMap and interviews with rubber exporters. Findings show that the value of Indonesia's rubber exports to China and ASEAN countries has fluctuated, with a significant decline after 2011. Gravity model analysis shows that ASEAN-China real GDP growth is negatively related to the value of Indonesian rubber exports, while other factors such as exchange rates and commodity prices also play a role. The decline in Indonesia's rubber export competitiveness is not only caused by the implementation of ACFTA, but also by internal factors such as low productivity and underinvestment. Recommendations are given for commodity price adjustments to improve Indonesia's rubber export competitiveness.


Keywords: Export, Natural Rubber, ACFTA
Abbas, S., & Waheed, A. (2018). Import determinants and potential markets: a panel data gravity modelling analysis for Bahrain. Review of Middle East Economics and Finance, 14(1), 20170017.
Anggraeni, N. (2019). Perang Dagang Dalam Hukum Perdagangan Internasional. Al Ahkam, 15(1), 1–7.
BOGUSZEWSKI, M. (2022). Political Economy of Domestic Influences of Free Trade Agreements: A Case Study of the Agricultural Sector in Vietnam. University of Hong Kong.
Darmanto, E. B., Handoyo, R. D., & Wibowo, W. (2021). The impact of Asean-China Free Trade Area (ACFTA) agreement on Indonesia’s major plantation export commodities. Business: Theory and Practice, 22(1), 91–97.
Fidhayanti, A. R., Yuliati, N., & Fitriana, N. H. I. (2024). Analysis of the Competitiveness of Indonesian Rubber Exports in International Markets. West Science Interdisciplinary Studies, 2(01), 176–183.
Irshad, M. S., Xin, Q., Shahriar, S., & Arshad, H. (2017). A panel data analysis of China’s trade pattern with OPEC members: Gravity model approach. Asian Economic and Financial Review, 8(1), 103–116.
Joseph, J., & Hari, K. S. (2019). Market Orientation and Export Performance under ASEAN–India Free Trade Agreement: The Case of India’s Rubber and Rubber Products. Journal of Asian Economic Integration, 1(2), 242–259.
Kuik, C.-C., & Rahman, F. A. (2023). ASEANs dialogue mechanisms: institutionalising ASEAN centrality. In The Elgar Companion to ASEAN (pp. 177–195). Edward Elgar Publishing.
Marks, S. V. (2015). The ASEAN–China free trade agreement: political economy in Indonesia. Bulletin of Indonesian Economic Studies, 51(2), 287–306.
Mulatsih, S. (2019). Dampak ACFTA (ASEAN-China Free Trade Area) Terhadap Trade Creation Dan Trade Diversion Indonesia Di Kawasan ACFTA+ 3. Jurnal Ekonomi Dan Kebijakan Pembangunan, 8(1), 84–100.
Muradian, R., Cahyafitri, R., Ferrando, T., Grottera, C., Jardim-Wanderley, L., Krause, T., Kurniawan, N. I., Loft, L., Nurshafira, T., & Prabawati-Suwito, D. (2025). Will the EU deforestation-free products regulation (EUDR) reduce tropical forest loss? Insights from three producer countries. Ecological Economics, 227, 108389.
Putri, K. V. (2022). Implementation of Regulation Processing Materials Standard Indonesian Rubber in South Sumatra. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, 995(1), 12039.
Rumokoy, P. O. (2020). Agricultural trade law in the Republic of Indonesia: Challenges from international law.
Siregar, H. R. (2014). Impact of the ASEAN-CHINA FTA on Indonesia’s AGRO-BASED products. KDI School.
Somjai, K., & Patchimnan, A. (2016). ASEAN-China economic cooperation under the ASEAN-China free trade agreement (ACFTA): the case study of Thailand. Thammasat University.
Sujarwo, R. M. (2021). Palm Oil and Rubber Price and Trader’s Behavior at International Towards Local Level. Georg-August-Universität Göttingen.