Visiting U.S. Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis shakes hands with Indonesia's Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi at the Foreign Ministry in Jakarta, Indonesia January 22, 2018. REUTERS/Darren Whiteside
JAKARTA (Reuters) - U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said on Monday he would explore deepening defence ties during a visit to Indonesia, a country that appears increasingly ready to assert its sovereignty in the contested South China Sea.
Mattis, ahead of talks in Jakarta, raised the possibility of greater maritime cooperation. An aide noted that Indonesia was also considering purchasing Lockheed Martin Corp's F-16 fighter jets, in a deal that could be worth billions.
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