Apple’s newly appointed Chief Operating Officer, Sabih Khan, met with China’s Vice Minister of Commerce and International Trade Representative, Li Chenggang, as reported by the Ministry of Commerce of the PRC. This meeting serves as a significant signal of strategic continuity, following in the footsteps of former Apple COO Jeff Williams and CEO Tim Cook in maintaining high-level diplomatic ties with the region.
During the discussions, Vice Minister Li Chenggang characterized the relationship between Apple and the Chinese market as a process of mutual achievement and shared growth. He highlighted that as China enters its 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026–2030), the nation will continue to expand its “high-level opening-up.” This policy shift is expected to create even greater development opportunities for foreign-invested enterprises like Apple, encouraging deeper integration with local partners.
Sabih Khan, representing the Cupertino tech giant, expressed high praise for the capabilities and resilience of China’s supply chain. Despite Apple’s recent efforts to diversify some production to regions like India and Vietnam, Khan reiterated that Apple remains committed to its long-term development within China. He noted that the company plans to continuously increase its investment in the local supply chain, research and development (R&D), and social welfare initiatives.
The future of Apple in China appears to be leaning heavily into modern industrial trends. Khan emphasized that Apple will adhere to a development direction focused on intelligence, greening, and integration. This aligns with China’s own goals for “new quality productive forces,” focusing on advanced automation and sustainable manufacturing.
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