Apple’s CEO says they will “look at” manufacturing in Indonesia

Apple CEO Tim Cook plans to expand manufacturing in Indonesia to diversify supply chains from China, while the Indonesian government aims to boost economic development.

Apple CEO Tim Cook announced plans to explore manufacturing in Indonesia, a move aimed at diversifying its supply chains from China, where most of its smartphones and tablets are made. The Indonesian government has been working to bring manufacturing to the country to drive economic development. Apple has been shifting production to countries like Vietnam and India due to disruptions caused by China shutdowns during COVID-19. Cook plans to invest more in Vietnam and increase spending on suppliers in the Southeast Asian manufacturing hub.

Cook's trip to Indonesia coincided with the announcement by Apple that Bali would host the nation's fourth Apple Developer Academy. In 2018, the company opened a training program for app developers in Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia. Although the corporation claims to have invested 1.6 trillion rupiah ($99 million) in Indonesia's app developer ecosystem, Apple does not currently have any manufacturing facilities there.

The Widodo administration has banned the export of raw commodities like nickel and bauxite to encourage domestic refinery construction. This is part of their strategy to attract manufacturers to Indonesia's rich nickel and other minerals. Following the meeting, Cook met with Prabowo Subianto, the incoming president and defense minister, in Jakarta. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella is expected to visit Indonesia in April.