RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Indonesia is seeking to deepen ties with California, one of the world’s largest economic hubs, through cooperation in investment, technology, and institutional development, reflecting Jakarta’s broader strategy to expand subnational diplomacy and strengthen economic engagement with the United States.

According to a press release from the Indonesian Consulate General in San Francisco on Wednesday, April 8, 2026, Consul General Yohpy Ichsan Wardana met with California State Treasurer Fiona Ma and California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS) CEO Marcie Frost at Wisma Indonesia to discuss potential collaboration.

“Indonesia and California have complementary strengths, California with its innovation, technology, and capital, and Indonesia with its market scale, growth, and strategic position in Southeast Asia,” Yohpy said, as quoted by Antara.

One key focus was pension fund management and long-term investment. Indonesia expressed interest in learning best practices from CalPERS, one of the largest pension fund managers in the U.S.

Fiona Ma highlighted the importance of strong governance in managing public funds, while Frost noted that the success of pension systems depends not only on asset size but also on institutional discipline and long-term orientation.

The talks also explored opportunities in clean energy and sustainable investment. Indonesia outlined its national energy transition priorities, while California signaled interest in expanding cooperation in green financing.

In technology, including artificial intelligence, Indonesia stressed its use for national development, boosting productivity, resource management, and disaster mitigation, while ensuring responsible governance.

Further discussions touched on collaboration in energy, minerals, and electric vehicles, particularly in strengthening downstream industries such as nickel, which plays a vital role in the global battery ecosystem.

Both sides also recognized the need to expand academic and research partnerships with Californian universities to support applied technology and innovation.

The meeting underscored the growing importance of subnational diplomacy as a way to build concrete, results-oriented international partnerships. Strengthening ties with California is seen as a strategic move for Indonesia to broaden global cooperation in support of national development.

Notably, Indonesia already has a long-standing sister province relationship between California and Yogyakarta, established in 1995, which serves as a foundation for expanding collaboration. ***