Apple CEO Tim Cook pledged to increase the company’s investment in China during a meeting with China’s Industry Minister Li Lecheng in Beijing on Wednesday, signaling Apple’s intent to strengthen its presence in its most crucial manufacturing hub despite rising geopolitical tensions.
According to an official Chinese summary, Cook said Apple would continue to invest in China, though details of the scale or focus of the investment were not disclosed. The move comes as many U.S. firms tread cautiously between Beijing and Washington, with U.S. President Donald Trump pushing for domestic manufacturing and imposing tariffs that have strained global supply chains.
Apple has so far avoided the direct fallout of the trade war, unlike other tech firms such as Nvidia and Qualcomm, which have faced regulatory challenges in China. Still, the iPhone maker must balance its relationships carefully — reassuring Washington of its “American Manufacturing Program,” while maintaining ties with Chinese suppliers that produce the bulk of its devices.
Earlier this week, Apple COO Sabih Khan visited Lens Technology, a longtime Chinese supplier of iPhone glass components, while Cook toured Apple’s Shanghai store and met with local developers and designers. Apple’s sales in China rose 0.6% year-on-year in the third quarter, aided by strong demand for the iPhone 17 series, making it the only top-three smartphone brand in the country to post growth.
China’s industry minister expressed optimism that Apple would “continue to explore the Chinese market and grow together with Chinese suppliers,” emphasizing Beijing’s intent to sustain a favorable environment for foreign businesses.