According to a statement from the Chinese side, Cook met Li in Beijing and promised to deepen cooperation, though there were no figures attached. Apple stayed silent when asked for details, suggesting this might be more about politics than paperwork.
While Washington continues to posture about bringing manufacturing home and the cocaine nose jobs of Wall Street debate who is winning the trade war, Apple quietly keeps its roots in China where most of its iPhones are still built. The California company’s balancing act has so far kept it out of the firing line, unlike Nvidia and Qualcomm, who have found themselves on Beijing’s naughty step.
Cook’s double game is well rehearsed. In August, he presented Trump with a custom US-made plaque mounted on a 24-carat gold stand celebrating Apple’s American Manufacturing Program and promised to invest another $100 billion in domestic production. Fast forward a few months and he is in Beijing shaking hands and praising China’s suppliers.
Apple has tried to look less dependent on China by shifting some assembly to India, but Cook’s latest trip makes it clear that Job’s Mob is far from ready to loosen its grip on its most important supply chain.
On Tuesday, Apple’s chief operating officer Sabih Khan was spotted touring Lens Technology, a long-time Chinese glass supplier that has been polishing iPhone and Apple Watch screens for nearly two decades.
Li Lecheng, who also oversees China’s infotech industry, told Cook he hoped Apple would continue to explore the Chinese market and grow together with Chinese suppliers. Beijing, he added, would keep offering a good business environment for foreign firms, at least the ones that play nicely.
The charm offensive seems to be paying off. Apple’s shipments in China ticked up by 0.6 per cent in the third quarter to 10.8 million units, according to IDC, making it the only major brand in the country to post growth. The iPhone 17 series has given it a slight edge in an otherwise dreary smartphone market.
During his trip, Cook popped into an Apple Store in Shanghai, met game developers and toy designers, and announced that the iPhone Air will soon be available for pre-order after Chinese regulators approved eSIM support.
China’s ambassador to Washington, Xie Feng, praised Cook’s visit, calling the business community a stabiliser of China–US relations. He added that many American firms have chosen China, and judging by Cook’s latest tour, Job’s Mob is not about to un-choose it any time soon.