Indonesia rejected US request to host spy planes

Sources in the Indonesian government have told Reuters that the United States made a request to that country to host American spy planes -- a request that was rejected.

Four senior officials say the U.S. wanted its P-8 Poseidon maritime surveillance planes to land and refuel there.

The requests come amid the contest for influence in Southeast Asia between the U.S. and China.

American officials are said to have made multiple "high-level" approaches in July and August to Indonesia's defense and foreign ministers before Indonesia's president, Joko Widodo, declined the request.

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