At the China Development Forum, which kicked off in Beijing on Sunday and runs through Monday, Cook took to the stage to address high-profile attendees that include top-level Chinese government officials and more than 80 foreign business executives.
Chinese suppliers “are not just receptive to the [carbon neutrality] goal, they’ve been innovating and figuring out new ways of doing things”, he said.
On Friday, Cook met China’s commerce minister Wang Wentao to discuss Apple’s operations in the country and Sino-US economic and trade ties, according to a statement from the Ministry of Commerce.
“China has a massive market … highly-qualified talent and a stable and open business environment … this means huge opportunities for global companies, including Apple,” the statement read. “China welcomes Apple to deepen its foothold in the country.”
During his meeting with Wang, Cook said Apple is committed to long-term development in the country and will keep investing in research and development and the supply chain there, according to the statement.
“There’s no supply chain in the world that’s more critical to us than China,” Cook was quoted as saying in an interview with state media China Daily published on Wednesday.
Apple is under mounting pressure in the world’s largest smartphone market, where the iPhone faces“ stiff competition at the high end from a resurgent Huawei [Technologies], while getting squeezed in the middle on aggressive pricing by the likes of Oppo, Vivo, and Xiaomi”, according to market consultancy Counterpoint.
In addition to Cook, foreign executives attending this year’s China Development Forum include Amin Nasser, president and CEO at Saudi Arabia’s state-owned oil company Aramco, Darren Woods, chairman and CEO of US energy giant ExxonMobil, and HSBC group CEO Noel Quinn.
