JAKARTA: In a meeting with Apple CEO Tim Cook today (17/4) at the Merdeka Palace, Jakarta, President Joko Widodo expressed his desire for Apple to open a factory in Indonesia.
“We talked about the President’s desire to build factories in this country, and that is something we will study,” Cook said after an hour-long meeting with Jokowi, as quoted by CNN Indonesia.
Antara news agency reported that the meeting was to discuss Apple’s investment in Indonesia. Meeting Tim Cook, Jokowi was also accompanied by the Minister of Communication and Information, Budi Arie Setiadi and the Minister of Industry, Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita.
According to Budi, Apple’s investment as one of the largest technology companies from the United States will make Indonesia a world supply chain for their products.
“Apple is part of how our country attracts investment and attention for the ecosystem of future technological progress,” said Budi Arie at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta.
Apple does not have a factory in Indonesia, but since 2018 this company has opened an application development academy in this country. According to a Reuters report, Apple spent up to IDR 1.6 trillion to build this new academy.
Meanwhile, for its factories, Apple relies on Vietnam to produce iPads, Airpods and Apple Watches. India has become a rival to China as Apple’s country of choice to produce iPhones.
According to Minister of Industry Agus Gumiwang, Apple products are one of the largest units imported by Indonesia. Of the 2.79 million units imported, 85 percent were Apple products, making the demand for factory construction in Indonesia reasonable.
Apart from that, Agus said, the presence of an Apple factory in Indonesia can also provide added value for the country, namely through the Domestic Component Level (TKDN).
“Therefore, Indonesia’s interest remains to create added value in Indonesia,” said Agus.
