Could a ‘more focused’ US gain an edge over China in contest for Indonesian tech business?
Although Jakarta has close economic ties with Beijing, a report says the push to boost its hi-tech economy could present openings for American firms

But Washington needs a more ambitious and strategic form of statecraft to do so, according to the report from the Centre for a New American Security, a Washington think tank.
While Indonesia has long pursued a policy of strategic autonomy – where the US is its preferred security partner and China is key for investment and trade – the researchers said this approach increasingly conflicted with the reality of deepening political, economic and technological ties with China.
“This may have been possible in an era of warmer Sino-US relations, but as Beijing and Washington increasingly decouple their economies – especially for sensitive technologies – this balancing act could prove untenable,” the report said.