On your recent visit China, Tim Cook appeared in an interview talking about censorship in the country, its suppliers there and more.
In July, a huge controversy arose around the world after Apple withdrew VPN apps from the Chinese App Store. The discussion was due to the fact that the apps helped to circumvent the censorship of websites and apps in the country, being, therefore, seen as a threat to the government. Then, the world pointed fingers at Ma, stating that she would have cooperated with the authorities.
Tim Cook in China, during Fortune Global Forum | Image: Vivek Prakash (Fortune)At the time, Cook explained exactly why the company did this, and now, during the Fortune Global Forum, in Guangzhou, the CEO seemed quite confident that the apps will return to where they shouldn't have gone, as reported by Reuters:
My hope over time that some apps that have been retired will come back. I have high hopes and I am optimistic about it.
After Cook's appearance at the World Internet Conference, Senator Patrick Leahy, who questioned Apple's initiative earlier, spoke now CNBC stating that "Apple has the opportunity and moral obligation to promote free expression and other basic human rights in countries that normally deny these rights". He continued: "Apple is clearly a force for good in China, but I also believe that it and other technology companies should continue to take a stand against Chinese repression on free express."
Moving on to softer matters, during the Forum, Cook also talked about how China has developed more and more and is very different from the developing country he visited 25 years ago.
Addressing specifically the Chinese workforce, which we usually know is cheaper than elsewhere, Cook reiterated something previously said about the company's interest in being more in the “skills” of workers than in the cost itself:
There is confusion regarding China. The popular concept that companies come to China because of low labor costs. I am not sure which part of China they are going to, but the truth is that China stopped being a country with low labor costs a few years ago. From the suppliers' point of view, this is not the reason to come to China, but because of the skill.
In addition to the controversies and even though Apple has only 15% of the Chinese smartphone market (which, for her, it already represents a lot financially), the CEO said that he “could not be happier” with the sales of the iPhone X in the country.
With this visit, Ma may be able to increase her popularity even further, who knows?
via MacRumors, AppleInsider
