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As part of Apple’s (NASDAQ:AAPL) CEO Tim Cook surprise visit to China this week, he met with the country's vice premier, who signaled further support for the U.S. tech giant.
"China is willing to provide more opportunities for foreign-funded enterprises including Apple to develop in the country," China's Vice Premier Ding Duexiang told Cook in a meeting on Thursday, Reuters reported, citing Chinese state radio.
Cook said Apple was confident in the prospects of Chinese market, and was willing to strengthen cooperation with China in fields including high-end manufacturing and digital economy, the state radio reported.
The meeting is part of a larger tour of the country by Cook.
On Wednesday, Cook met with China's Commerce Minister to discuss the company’s development in the country and the trade relationship between the U.S. and China. The Ministry of Commerce, also known as MofCom, added that China is committed to opening up and expanding access and that it will continue to welcome multinational companies.
Earlier this week, Cook posted photos and videos of himself visiting the Apple store in Chengdu, meeting with farmers in Sichuan and elementary school students in Yucheng District, Ya’an.
Apple (AAPL) has shifted some production and resources from China to India, with some investment firms stating that they see the Southeast Asian country as Apple's next big market.
Apple (AAPL) released its iPhone 15 last month amid growing competition to sell to Chinese consumers. However, recent reports have suggested that sales of iPhone 15 models have declined in China compared to 2022 sales of the iPhone 14 lineup.