Apple CEO in China for new store opening

Apple CEO Tim Cook is in Shanghai, China, where a new flagship store will open and is set to become the company's second-largest retail store globally.

Cook has already emphasised the country’s importance as a market and production base. "There's no supply chain in the world that's more critical to us than China," he was quoted by several media entities as saying.

Cook, who arrived in China on Wednesday, visited the studio of director Mo Lyu, who uses various Apple products to develop, create storyboards, shoot, and edit her short films.

Apple CEO Tim Cook's visit to Shanghai precedes the opening of a new store, aiming to bolster the company's position amid declining iPhone sales in China. (Photo : Image via Weibo)

The Apple CEO also had a meeting with Wang Chuanfu, the founder, chairman, and chief executive of the world’s largest electric vehicle maker, BYD, according to the China Daily.

He plans to check products from Apple suppliers such as Lens Technology and Shenzhen Everwin Precision Technology during his visit. Cook is also expected to take part in the China Development Forum in Beijing over the weekend.

Apple has been working on its development in China for over 30 years. Data shows that 151 of the company's 200 major suppliers have production activities in China. And the U.S. tech giant has been stepping up its investment in China continuously.