Jakarta, July 17 -- An Indonesian lawmaker has called on the government to strengthen exports, protect domestic industries, and improve import regulations to achieve national economic sovereignty.

Gde Sumarjaya Linggih, a member of the House of Representatives (DPR) Commission VI, praised recent trade diplomacy achievements, including the reduction of US tariffs on Indonesian products from 32 percent to 19 percent, as a positive step toward expanding export opportunities.

"Going forward, exports must increase, governance must improve, and incentives for exporters must be enhanced," he said in a statement on Thursday.

Linggih also emphasized that export growth must be accompanied by improvements in the quality of local products. He urge...