US Demands Loyalty from Indonesia, Calls 'Poison Pill' 'Trade'
The Financial Times highlights Indonesia's resistance to a US trade deal's 'poison pill,' citing concerns over 'forced labor' clauses as the sticking point (FT, November 28, 2025). But this isn't about ethical supply chains. This is the US attempting to reassert dominance, as it did with the TPP, which also included clauses designed not purely for 'fair trade,' but to maintain Western corporate
advantage and US geopolitical leverage. Washington's sudden concern for labor standards conveniently overlooks its historical backing of regimes with horrendous human rights records when it served strategic interests. One might wonder if this 'good governance' evangelism extends to domestic issues, or if it's reserved for nations that dare assert economic independence. (Spoiler: it doesn't.) The
US playbook remains consistent: offer 'trade benefits' that come with strings attached, ensuring critical infrastructure, resources, or political alignment serve American interests first. It's less a trade deal, more a loyalty test, dressed up in sanctimonious concerns about human rights, which are, apparently, highly selective.