Apple Executive Chairman Tim Cook made his first visit to China since stepping down as CEO, meeting with Guangdong Governor Meng Fanli in Guangzhou on…
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Tim Cook Makes First China Visit After Stepping Down as CEO, Meets Guangdong Governor to Signal Willingness to Expand Supply Chain and Smart Manufacturing Cooperation
Apple Executive Chairman Tim Cook made his first visit to China since stepping down as chief executive officer, meeting with Meng Fanli, Deputy Secretary of the Guangdong Provincial Committee of the Chinese Communist Party and Governor of Guangdong Province, in Guangzhou on October 11. Cook said Guangdong is critical to Apple's development in China, and the company is willing to further expand its business footprint in the province, exploring more cooperation opportunities in supply chain coordination, smart manufacturing, green manufacturing, and sales channel expansion.
This marks Cook's third visit to China since the start of 2026, and his first time setting foot on Chinese soil in his new role since transitioning to Executive Chairman on September 1. Although no longer directly responsible for Apple's day-to-day operations, Cook remains deeply involved in the company's external affairs, continuing to advance Apple's relationships with the Chinese government, supply chain partners, and consumers.
Meng said during the meeting that Apple is a globally renowned technology leader with long-standing, extensive, and deep cooperation with Guangdong across production, sales, and R&D. Guangdong is currently accelerating the construction of a modern industrial system anchored by advanced manufacturing, and the province warmly welcomes and supports Apple in closely aligning with all sectors in Guangdong, placing more innovative products, emerging businesses, and R&D platforms in the province, and expanding new areas and spaces of cooperation.
Cook thanked Guangdong Province for its long-term support of Apple's development. He noted that Guangdong is a major global manufacturing hub with a complete industrial chain and supply chain, strong innovation vitality, and an immensely promising consumer market and cooperation landscape, home to a large concentration of Apple supply chain partners and ecosystem developers. He expressed hope to explore further cooperation with relevant cities and enterprises in Guangdong around supply chain coordination, innovation ecosystem empowerment, smart manufacturing and green manufacturing, and sales channel expansion.
A New Role After Stepping Down: Maintaining Supply Chain Relationships Becomes the Focus
Cook officially stepped down as Apple CEO on September 1 of this year, ending a 15-year "Cook era," with John Ternus taking over as CEO. During the earnings call in late July, Cook said there was no better person than Ternus to steer the company, adding that Apple has a bright future ahead. In an internal memo before his departure, he described Ternus as smart, outstanding, and exceptionally capable.
After transitioning to Executive Chairman, one of Cook's responsibilities is communicating with global policymakers. Engaging with local governments and maintaining supply chain relationships have become his new focus. The Guangzhou trip is a direct reflection of this role.
According to public data, Guangdong is a key hub in Apple's global supply chain. Of the 187 suppliers that accounted for 98% of Apple's global supply chain spending in 2023, 157 have factories in China producing Apple products, with more than 70 of them located in Guangdong, including Foxconn, Luxshare Precision (002475.SZ), BYD Electronic (00285.HK), and Lingyi iTech (002600.SZ). On the R&D front, Apple's applied research laboratory in the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Cooperation Zone in Shenzhen was completed and operational in October 2024, with an expected investment of over 1 billion yuan (approximately $149.4 million) and a planned R&D team of more than 1,000 people. Apple currently operates R&D centers in Beijing, Shanghai, Suzhou, and Shenzhen.
On the green manufacturing front, Apple announced on October 10 that the second phase of its China Clean Energy Fund has increased total committed investment to $212 million, with suppliers including Sunwoda Electronic and Avary Holding committing capital.
A Packed Itinerary: From Film Sets to Retail Stores
Beyond meeting with local government officials, Cook's trip also included a series of consumer- and creator-facing activities. On October 10, he appeared at the Guangzhou set of an iPhone 18 Pro series Wing Chun-themed short film, visiting the shoot led by young director Gu Tianji and Wing Chun inheritor Dai Zilong, and observing a demonstration bout between Wing Chun practitioners on site.
That evening, Cook posted on Weibo, saying he was delighted to be back in China and describing his first experience of Wing Chun's charm through the iPhone 18 Pro lens as unforgettable. On October 11, he also appeared at the Apple Store in Guangzhou's Parc Central mall, interacting with Apple product users. According to Nanfang Plus, Cook's Guangzhou visit will last several days and will include meetings with developers and content creators.
China Market Weight Continues to Rise
Apple launched the iPhone 18 Pro series and its first foldable phone, the iPhone Duo, in September. The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are already on sale, while the iPhone Duo, starting at 15,999 yuan, will officially go on sale on October 23.
According to Counterpoint Research data, iPhone 18 Pro series sales in China in the first three days after launch were 12% higher than the first-week sales of the previous-generation iPhone 17 Pro series last year.
Apple's reliance on the China market continues to deepen. In the third quarter of fiscal 2026, ended June 27, 2026, Apple reported revenue of $109.417 billion, up 16% year over year, and net profit of $29.79 billion, up 27% year over year. Greater China revenue for the quarter was $18.82 billion, up 22% year over year but below market expectations. In the first quarter of fiscal 2026, Apple's total revenue was $143.756 billion, with Greater China revenue up 38% year over year.
Notably, Cook had already made two visits to China earlier this year. On March 18, Apple's 50th anniversary global celebration was held in Chengdu, making the city the first stop in the Asia-Pacific region. On March 19, Shi Xiaolin, Deputy Secretary of the Sichuan Provincial Committee of the Chinese Communist Party and Governor of Sichuan Province, met with Cook in Chengdu, expressing hope that Apple would consolidate its projects in Sichuan, including direct retail operations, the Apple China Technical Support Center, and supply chain initiatives. On March 20, China's Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao met with Cook in Beijing, where Cook said, "The importance of the China market to Apple is self-evident, and the supply chain is equally pivotal."
The messaging from this Guangzhou trip continues Cook's consistent tone of cooperation with China, signaling to Chinese local governments and supply chain partners at a critical juncture following the Apple CEO transition that the company remains committed to deepening its presence in the country.
