# Apple Executive Chairman Tim Cook Meets Chinese Vice Premier to Discuss Business Cooperation

- URL: https://stocks.freetheai.org/news/apple-executive-chairman-tim-cook-meets-chinese-vice-premier-to-discuss-business-f492d1
- Published: 2026-10-12T13:32:58Z
- Category: company_news; sentiment: bullish; impact: medium
- Symbols: [NASDAQ:AAPL](https://stocks.freetheai.org/symbols/NASDAQ-AAPL), [NYSE:BABA](https://stocks.freetheai.org/symbols/NYSE-BABA)
- Written by our AI from expert market sources across the web for FreeTheAI Stocks, built by Vibhek Soni
- How write-ups are made: https://stocks.freetheai.org/how-we-write
- Not financial advice: https://stocks.freetheai.org/disclaimer

Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) Executive Chairman Tim Cook met with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng on Monday to discuss business cooperation and trade relations. During the meeting, Vice Premier He encouraged multinational technology companies to expand their participation in China's economic modernization, highlighting that stronger bilateral economic ties benefit global trade and create a more predictable business environment. Cook expressed confidence in Apple's long-term prospects in the country and noted that the company aims to serve as a bridge for international trade relations.

China remains a crucial market for Apple, where recent demand for its flagship hardware has shown notable resilience. Sales for the iPhone 18 Pro surged 12% year over year in its first three days on the market, helping Apple capture a 33% share of the domestic smartphone market despite overall sluggish consumer demand and rising memory costs. Additionally, China's extensive developer ecosystem plays a vital role in powering consumer applications across Apple's global platform.

Investors will be watching how Apple executes its localized artificial intelligence strategy in China. The company has reportedly partnered with Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. (NYSE:BABA) to develop an AI model tailored for Chinese users, which could facilitate the regional rollout of Apple Intelligence services. Investors will also monitor how diplomatic and trade relations between the U.S. and China impact operating conditions for major American tech firms.

## Key points

- Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) Executive Chairman Tim Cook met Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng to discuss bilateral business cooperation and trade relations.
- Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng welcomed technology firms to participate in China's economic modernization and help foster predictable business conditions.
- Cook reiterated Apple's confidence in its long-term growth prospects in China and expressed support for stable economic ties.
- Apple captured a 33% market share in China's smartphone sector as iPhone 18 Pro initial three-day sales grew 12% year over year.
- Apple is developing a localized AI model in partnership with Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. (NYSE:BABA) to support its AI rollout in China.

## Questions and answers

### Why did Apple Executive Chairman Tim Cook meet with China's Vice Premier?

Tim Cook met Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng to discuss business cooperation, trade relations, and Apple's long-term economic prospects in China.

### How is Apple performing in the Chinese smartphone market?

Sales of the iPhone 18 Pro rose 12% year over year in its first three days, helping Apple reach a 33% smartphone market share in China despite weak overall demand.

### Which company is Apple partnering with for AI in China?

Apple is reportedly working with Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. to develop a localized artificial intelligence model to support its Apple Intelligence features in China.