BEIJING: Apple CEO Tim Cook praised Chinese software developers for their creativity, calling it “second to none” during an interview with China Daily in Beijing on Tuesday (March 25).
The Apple CEO said he expects more Chinese apps to gain popularity overseas, noting that he sees more and more success coming from the country. He added that the global influence of Chinese apps is growing and praised software developers for their “unbelievable” passion for innovation.
According to The Star, experts said Mr Cook’s praise highlights that China is not just a major market and manufacturing powerhouse but also an important hub of innovation for the company’s software ecosystem. They added that China’s pool of well-educated and creative young developers will soon attract global tech giants.
Pan Helin, a member of the Industry and Information Technology Ministry’s Expert Committee for Information and Communication Economy, said that while Chinese developer teams used to focus on succeeding domestically before expanding internationally, they are now aiming for the “global stage”.
While the Apple CEO praised China’s passion for innovation, some commenters questioned his remarks, with one asking, “China’s innovation? For real? Name one great Chinese innovation they gave the world in the last 50 years.” Another remarked, “I’m sure Tim Cook probably says good things about other countries too.”
On one hand, others defended China’s contributions to tech, pointing to its influence on global platforms with one commenter remarking, “WeChat is cool, and a lot of West Coast companies have tried to copy it and failed.”
Kuro Games CEO Li Songlun said its game Wuthering Waves topped the download charts on Apple’s App Store in 107 countries and regions after its official launch, noting that “great games transcend boundaries”.
On Monday, Apple announced a RMB 720 million (S$132 million) investment to expand clean energy production in China, reinforcing its goal to shift its global supply chain to 100 per cent renewable energy by 2030. This investment will launch the second China Clean Energy Fund, following the success of its first programme in 2018.
Apple said the new fund will add around 550,000 megawatt-hours of wind and solar capacity to China’s power grid each year, with this number expected to grow as more investors join.
Mr Cook said two-thirds of Apple’s supply chain in China already uses renewable energy, and over 80 per cent of its top 200 suppliers have manufacturing operations in the country.
Apple COO Jeff Williams added that suppliers in China are advancing in smart and green manufacturing, and he is excited about what the next 30 years will bring.
Bai Ming, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, said China’s “unmatched” manufacturing capabilities and focus on innovation will continue to boost the growth of global tech companies like Apple. /TISG
Read also: Apple’s US$500B investment plan to include AI server factory and 20,000 new jobs