Hilman Palaon is a research fellow at the Lowy Institute in the Indo-Pacific Development Centre.
Apple's struggles with Indonesia's regulatory landscape -- underscored by its inability to sell the latest iPhone -- contrast sharply with the growing success of Chinese firms. As the U.S. and China battle for global dominance, developing nations find themselves at a crossroads. The Trump administration's America First policies may have unintentionally accelerated China's rise.
