Apple CEO Tim Cook, COO Jeff Williams land in China again, meet China's IT minister

Apple’s CEO Tim Cook and COO Jeff Williams are back in China, making another high-profile visit to promote the company’s technology. While agriculture and sustainability are on the agenda, the trip also included a meeting with China’s Minister for Industry and Information Technology, Jin Zhuanglong, in Beijing.

The ministry revealed that during their discussion, Jin encouraged Apple to deepen its involvement in China, enhance innovation, and grow alongside local companies. He also expressed hopes that Apple would continue sharing the benefits of high-quality development within the country.

He’s been sharing snippets of his trip on Weibo, showing off visits to an organic farm and tours of ancient neighbourhoods with local artists like photographer Chen Man.

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Cook also spent time with students from the China Agricultural University and Zhejiang University, talking about how the iPhone and iPad are helping push sustainable farming forward. He gave a shout-out to the China Rural Development Fund and the Science and Technology Backyards Initiative for their efforts in promoting eco-friendly agriculture.

The trip didn’t stop at farms and conservation projects. Cook and Williams also hung out with musician Lexie Liu and game developers from Gala Sports, showing Apple’s interest in China’s creative and tech scenes.

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Apple’s relationship with China is a big deal considering that China is the world’s largest smartphone market. But things haven’t been entirely smooth sailing lately. Even though Apple’s new iPhones, launched on 20th September, got off to a flying start with a 20 per cent boost in early sales, the overall picture wasn’t as rosy.

Sales of older models dropped, and competition from Huawei’s Mate and Pura series has made things tougher, causing iPhone sales in China to dip by 2 per cent over the same period.

Cook’s latest trip, following earlier visits in March and July, shows Apple’s determination to stay relevant in China. Whether it’s pitching iPads to farmers or teaming up with local creatives, Apple seems set on maintaining its foothold in this ever-important market.