Eyeing China, U.S. moves to strengthen Indonesian defense ties

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By Phil Stewart JAKARTA (Reuters) - U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said on Monday he would explore deepening defense ties during a visit to Indonesia, a country that appears increasingly ready to assert its sovereignty in the contested South China Sea. 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. "This is a very strategic partnership," Mattis said, noting Indonesia was the world's third largest democracy and the most populous Muslim-majority nation.

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