Apple CEO Tim Cook posts on Weibo on Tuesday, saying he stopped by Apple Wangfujing store to spend time with customers and the team. Photo: snapshot of Sina Weibo

Apple CEO Tim Cook was in Beijing on Tuesday, marking his second trip to China this year, underscoring the growing importance of the Chinese market for the tech giant, according to analysts.

Cook wrote on Chinese social media platform Sina Weibo on Tuesday that he visited the Apple store in Wangfujing to meet with customers and the team. 

He also mentioned that it was great to meet with students from China Agricultural University and Zhejiang University to learn how they are using iPhones and iPads to help farmers adopt more efficient, sustainable practices.

Cook last visited China in March when he opened a new flagship Apple store in Shanghai, the company's second-largest retail store globally, and attended the China Development Forum in Beijing.

Cook's multiple visits to China indicate the increasing importance of the Chinese market for Apple, Liu Dingding, a veteran industry observer, told the Global Times on Tuesday.

During his trip to Shanghai in March, Cook reiterated the company's long-term commitment to the Chinese market.

"There's no supply chain in the world that's more critical to us than China," Cook said at the time, noting that Apple will strengthen its long-term cooperation with its Chinese supply chain partners and work closely with them on green and smart manufacturing to achieve mutually beneficial outcomes.

According to research firm Counterpoint, the iPhone 16 series saw a strong sales start in the Chinese market, with sales in the first three weeks after launch increasing by 20 percent more than the iPhone 15 series launched in 2023. Notably, the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max saw an even more significant sales increase of 44 percent compared to their 2023 counterparts.

However, Apple's sales in China have faced increasing competition from Chinese competitors like Huawei in recent years. In September, Apple and Huawei launched their new models almost at the same time, drawing widespread discussion about the innovations from the two tech giants.

Global Times