Source: AFP
Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook met with Indonesia’s president on Wednesday as the tech giant explores ways to invest in Southeast Asia’s largest economy and diversify supply chains away from China.
The visit comes as US President Joe Biden’s administration seeks to strengthen the roles of other Asian trading partners in the global technology supply chain to reduce US reliance on China.
Cook traveled to Indonesia’s presidential palace in the capital Jakarta to meet Joko Widodo, the outgoing leader more popularly known as Jokowi, who has promoted a booming technology sector.
“Indonesia is a very important market for us. We talked about the president’s desire to see manufacturing in the country and it is something we will look at,” he told reporters.
“I think the investment potential in Indonesia is endless. We believe in the country,” he added.
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“It was a dialogue about how much potential there is in the country and our commitment to the country.”
The iPhone maker said Tuesday it will expand its developer academies in Indonesia to four with a new facility on the Hindu resort island of Bali.
Indonesia has a young, tech-savvy population of more than 100 million people under the age of 30, but Apple’s smartphone market is dominated by Google’s Android, according to statistics.
After arriving in Indonesia on Tuesday, Cook posted a photo of himself eating chicken satay.
“I look forward to meeting even more of Indonesia’s creative community and developers while I’m here,” he wrote.
Communications and Information Technology Minister Budi Arie Setiadi last month said Cook’s visit could include talks on new Apple investments in Indonesia, including a smartphone factory.
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“There is every possibility, we will see what the approach is because there are many Apple users in Indonesia,” he said, local media reported.
Apple did not respond to an AFP request for comment on Cook’s plans in Indonesia.
The company has yet to open an official store in Indonesia, forcing those who want its products to buy from resale platforms.
Source: AFP