Jakarta. President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo urged Apple CEO Tim Cook to consider setting up a manufacturing facility in Indonesia during their meeting at the State Palace in Jakarta on Wednesday.

The Indonesian government warmly welcomed Cook as an important guest in its efforts to position the country as a regional hub for leading multinational companies. Industry Minister Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita also attended the meeting to encourage Apple to utilize components manufactured in Indonesia.

“We talked about the president’s desire to see manufacturing in the country, and it’s something that we will look out,” Cook told reporters at the palace.

Cook noted that Apple recently inaugurated a developer academy in Bali, building on the success of three existing academies in Batam, Surabaya, and Tangerang, which have graduated thousands of students capable of creating apps for both domestic and international users.

He expressed confidence in Indonesia and hinted at plans for new investments, though he did not provide specifics.

During his visit to Indonesia, Cook also met with President-elect Prabowo Subianto.

Minister Agus emphasized Indonesia's eagerness to integrate into the supply chains of global companies like Apple.

"We have agreed to initiate discussions regarding Apple's manufacturing presence in Indonesia or their sourcing of components produced locally," Agus said. "We have identified a range of cellphone components manufactured in Indonesia that could be compatible [with iPhones]”.

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