Reference News Network, March 21 report: According to the Hong Kong South China Morning Post website, on March 18, Apple's CEO Tim Cook began his first trip to China this year, and Apple's Chief Operating Officer Sajid Khan also visited major suppliers including Foxconn and BYD. This indicates that Apple continues to pay attention to China's huge market and manufacturing ecosystem.

In the afternoon of March 18, Cook appeared at an Apple store in Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan Province, as part of the activities for Apple's 50th anniversary celebration. Video clips circulating on social media showed him interacting with celebrities and customers.

Cook's last visit to China was in October last year, when he met with government officials in Beijing and reiterated Apple's commitment to increase investment in China amid rising U.S.-China trade and technology tensions.

Apple's January financial report showed that in the quarter ending December last year, driven by demand for the iPhone 17, Apple's revenue in the Greater China region reached a record high of $25.5 billion. In 2025, the region's total revenue amounted to $71.4 billion, accounting for 16% of the company's global sales. Last week, Apple announced it would cut the commission fees in the Apple App Store in China. The standard commission rate for in-app purchases and paid apps will be reduced from the current 30% to 25%. The commission rate for in-app purchases under the Apple Small Developer Program and the Mini Program Partner Program will be reduced from the current 15% to 12%, and the commission rate for auto-renewable subscriptions after the first year will also be reduced from the current 15% to 12%.

Based in California, the U.S. tech giant still heavily relies on China in terms of sales and supply chain. It was reported that Apple Chief Operating Officer Sajid Khan visited several major suppliers on March 17, including the BYD battery factory in Shenzhen and the iPhone assembly line at Foxconn.

Media quoted Apple Vice President and Greater China Regional Managing Director Guo Yue as saying that the company's Shenzhen Applied Research Laboratory is located near important production and assembly bases, allowing close collaboration with nearly 200 nearby suppliers to adjust production processes in real time, thereby improving manufacturing efficiency and product quality.

U.S. tech giants continue to closely cooperate with Chinese suppliers. Industry sources said that teams from Alphabet's Google, Elon Musk's Tesla, and SpaceX have visited China this year, meeting with suppliers in fields such as solar components and liquid cooling equipment. (Translated by Feng Xue)

Original: toutiao.com/article/7619595102691934760/

Statement: This article represents the personal views of the author.