Apple CEO commends China’s innovation and long history of cooperation

Local media reports suggest that during his visit to China, Apple CEO Tim Cook made his first public remarks in the country in recent years. Cook reportedly praised China for its impressive pace of innovation and its enduring partnership with the U.S. technology giant. 

The CEO of California based tech giant was in Beijing to participate in the China Development Forum, a government-organized event that has resumed in full following the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions in the country last year.

The China Development Forum, which is being attended by high-ranking government officials and executives from leading firms such as Pfizer and BHP, has also drawn Apple CEO Tim Cook. According to The Paper news outlet, Cook spoke at the event and commended China for its swift advancements in innovation, stating his belief that such progress will only continue to accelerate.

Tim Cook’s visit to China occurs during a period of increased tension between Beijing and Washington. Meanwhile, Apple has been exploring options to reduce its dependence on China as a supply chain hub, with the company seeking to relocate production to emerging centers such as India.

In 2021, the largest iPhone factory in the world, operated by Apple supplier Foxconn, experienced significant disruptions to production due to worker unrest caused by China’s strict zero-COVID policies. 

During his visit to China, Cook also reportedly made a stop at an Apple Store in Beijing, which quickly gained widespread attention on Chinese social media platforms.

According to reports from local media, Tim Cook used his speech at the China Development Forum to emphasize the importance of education and the necessity for young individuals to learn programming and critical thinking skills. Cook announced that Apple intends to boost spending on its rural education program to 100 million yuan, as per the same reports.

(With inputs from Reuters)