President Jokowi Welcomes Apple CEO Tim Cook for Talks on Tech Investment
Jakarta. President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo (Jokowi) is scheduled to meet with Apple's Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Tim Cook, at the State Palace in Jakarta on Wednesday. Minister of Communication and Informatics (Menkominfo), Budi Arie Setiadi, confirmed the agenda.
"Apple CEO Tim Cook will be received by President Jokowi at the State Palace at 09:30 a.m. Jakarta time," he said via a text message, on Tuesday.
The meeting will discuss the potential investment of Apple in Indonesia. This meeting presents an opportunity for Indonesia to become an integral part of the global technology ecosystem.
"Details regarding the discussion will be announced after tomorrow's meeting. This is a great opportunity for Indonesia as we play a crucial role in the technology ecosystem," he added.
Industry Minister Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita expressed his hope for potential investment from Cook's visit to Indonesia.
"We have been in communication with Apple for quite some time. There are policies we have issued, including the Domestic Component Level (TKDN) balancing policy for Apple products," he explained.
Moreover, Apple is also committed to enhancing the quality of education in Indonesia, both in terms of human resources and infrastructure.
"Apple has established three and will soon open the fourth Apple Academy. I believe the output of this program is excellent in producing quality human resources and innovative applications that can be applied in other companies," he said.
Apple has announced its plan to open its fourth Apple Developer Academy in Indonesia, located in Bali. The first Apple Developer Academy in Indonesia was inaugurated in Jakarta in 2018. Apple has also established academies in Surabaya and Batam. The program has been attended by over 2,000 aspiring developers.
“We’ve seen many times over that a line of code can change the world — and in Indonesia, we’re investing in the creativity and skills of people determined to prove it,” said Tim Cook in his official statement. “We’re excited by the growing developer community in Indonesia, and we look forward to investing in the success of even more coders with our fourth academy in the country.”
Minister Budi Ari Setiadi revealed that he is also lobbying for Nvidia CEO Jansen Huang to visit Indonesia.
"We are lobbying for Jansen Huang to also come to Indonesia because Tim Cook is coming on the 17th (April), then the boss of Microsoft Satya Nadella on the 30th (April)," he said.
According to Budi, the visit will have a positive impact on Indonesia. Considering Nvidia and telecommunications operator Indonesia are currently committing to build an AI center in Solo worth $200 million or nearly Rp 3 trillion.
Budi revealed that the government will continue to open opportunities for the world's best technology companies to invest in Indonesia.
