Tim Cook Lauds China ‘Innovation’ at Key Business Summit

Tim Cook also visited an Apple Store in Beijing, pictures of which went viral on Chinese social media. Photo: Reuters

Apple CEO Tim Cook on Saturday used his first public remarks in China in recent years to praise the country for its rapid innovation and its long ties with the US iPhone-maker, local media reported.

“Innovation is developing rapidly in China and I believe it will further accelerate,” Cook was quoted by The Paper news outlet as saying.

During his speech, Cook also discussed education and the need for young people to learn programming and critical thinking skills, reports said.

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He further announced that Apple plans to increase spending on its rural education programme to 100 million yuan, reports added.

Cook also visited an Apple Store in Beijing on Friday, pictures of which went viral on Chinese social media.

Cook is in Beijing to attend the China Development Forum, a government-organised event being held in full force again after the country dismantled its zero-Covid regime late last year.

Besides Cook, the event is being attended by senior government officials as well as CEOs of firms such as Pfizer and BHP.

Cook’s visit comes at a time of rising tensions between Beijing and Washington. The Financial Times reported earlier that American business figures attending the “Davos-like event” were likely to stay “out of the limelight” due to tensions between the world’s two biggest economies.

The visit also follows Apple’s recent efforts to reduce its supply chain reliance on China by moving production to new up and coming centres such as India.

Last year, production at the world’s largest iPhone factory in Zhengzhou city, run by Apple supplier Foxconn, was heavily disrupted as strict covid curbs fuelled worker unrest.

Reuters, with additional editing by Vishakha Saxena

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Vishakha Saxena

Vishakha Saxena is the Multimedia and Social Media Editor at Asia Financial. She has worked as a digital journalist since 2013, and is an experienced writer and multimedia producer. As a trader and investor, she is keenly interested in new economy, emerging markets and the intersections of finance and society. You can write to her at vishakha.saxena@asiafinancial.com