Beijing, Mar 25 (EFE) .- Apple\u2019s CEO Tim Cook on Saturday, during an unannounced visit to Beijing, underlined the rapid advances in innovation in the Asian country and predicted that it would only speed up further, Chinese state media reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Cook was taking part in the China Development Forum, where he said he was “thrilled” to return to the country, which he had not visited since the start of Covid-19 pandemic, according to the Global Times newspaper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After a panel meeting at the event, he praised China’s technological achievements and predicted rapid advances in fields such as artificial intelligence and augmented reality, technologies that he said “promise incredible positive things for humanity.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201dThis is also the reason why Apple is pushing very hard for schools to teach young students coding,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The head of Apple explained that during this visit he met with two teachers from rural areas where digital education has been implemented and it was “wonderful” to know how classrooms have changed with the introduction of technology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Cook declined to answer a question from reporters about his company’s future plans in the Chinese market as part of the US strategy to decouple its economy from that of the Asian giant and the possible adjustments this would entail in supply chains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This year marks three decades since Apple landed in the Chinese market, where it has a large number of its suppliers as well as its main assembly plants of flagship products such as the iPhone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Late on Friday, the Cook made a surprise appearance at an Apple store in Beijing\u2019s upscale Sanlitun area, where he was received with applause after which he interacted with customers, according to videos that have gone viral on Chinese social media.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Apart from Cook, Saturday\u2019s forum was attended by top representatives of the pharmaceutical company Pfizer and the American giant Procter & Gamble, among others. EFE<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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