Apple CEO meets Indonesia leader to talk investments

Apple CEO meets Indonesia leader to talk investments

Apple CEO Tim Cook is visiting Indonesia
Apple CEO Tim Cook is visiting Indonesia. Photo: BAY ISMOYO / AFP
Source: AFP

Apple chief executive Tim Cook met Indonesia's president on Wednesday, as the tech giant explores ways to invest in Southeast Asia's biggest economy and diversify supply chains away from China.

The visit comes as US President Joe Biden's administration seeks to boost other Asian trade partners' roles in the global tech supply chain to reduce American dependence on China.

Cook travelled to Indonesia's presidential palace in capital Jakarta to meet Joko Widodo, the outgoing leader more popularly known as Jokowi, who has promoted a burgeoning tech sector.

"Indonesia is a very important market for us. We talked about the president's desire to see manufacturing in the country, and it's something that we will look at," he told reporters.

"I think the investment ability in Indonesia is endless. We believe in the country," he added.

Read also

'We are not Fed-dependent,' ECB chief says on rate cuts

"It was a dialogue about how much potential there is in the country and our commitment to the country."

The iPhone-maker announced 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 with more than 100 million people under the age of 30, but Apple is dominated in the smartphone market by Google's Android, according to statistics.

After arriving in Indonesia on Tuesday, Cook posted a picture of himself eating chicken satay.

"Looking forward to meeting even more of Indonesia's creative community and developers while I'm here," he wrote.

Minister of Communication and Informatics Budi Arie Setiadi last month said Cook's visit could involve talks on new Apple investments in Indonesia, including a smartphone factory.

Read also

Spain's tourism revenue seen hitting new record in 2024

"There are all possibilities, we'll see what the approach is, because there are a lot of Apple users in Indonesia," he said, local media reported.

Apple did not respond to an AFP request for comment about Cook's plans in Indonesia.

The company is yet to open an official store in Indonesia, forcing those who want its products to buy from resale platforms.

Source: AFP

Authors:
AFP avatar

AFP AFP text, photo, graphic, audio or video material shall not be published, broadcast, rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium. AFP news material may not be stored in whole or in part in a computer or otherwise except for personal and non-commercial use. AFP will not be held liable for any delays, inaccuracies, errors or omissions in any AFP news material or in transmission or delivery of all or any part thereof or for any damages whatsoever. As a newswire service, AFP does not obtain releases from subjects, individuals, groups or entities contained in its photographs, videos, graphics or quoted in its texts. Further, no clearance is obtained from the owners of any trademarks or copyrighted materials whose marks and materials are included in AFP material. Therefore you will be solely responsible for obtaining any and all necessary releases from whatever individuals and/or entities necessary for any uses of AFP material.