China remains the most important part of Apple's supply chain, said the company's CEO Tim Cook on Friday.
Cook made the remarks ahead of his meeting with Ren Hongbin, chairman of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) in Beijing.
"It remains the most important part of our supply chain," he said.
Cook said that the CCPIT has always been Apple's crucial partner.
"We're so happy to reengage and talk about moving forward and the opportunities in front of both of us," said Cook.
The CEO reaffirmed the importance of China and expressed willingness to visit China again in the future.
Cook embarked on his first visit to China this year, earlier this month, the latest of his many trips to the country in recent years, as a testament to Apple's close ties with the Chinese market.
His Beijing trip followed a visit to Chengdu, capital of southwest China's Sichuan Province, earlier this week. Cook is expected to attend the China Development Forum 2026, scheduled to be held in Beijing on March 22-23.
China remains most important part of Apple's supply chain: Tim Cook
China remains most important part of Apple's supply chain: Tim Cook
Thai exporters are leveraging this year's China International Import Expo (CIIE) to seek new opportunities in China as innovation and shifting consumer demand reshape how Thailand's traditional agricultural products are grown, produced and brought to market.
For generations, families in Thailand have made a living from coconut palms, harvesting the fruit by hand and shipping it far beyond the orchards where it is grown.
Natthasak Manusrungsri's family has been exporting aromatic coconuts for more than two decades. But growing demand from China has transformed the scale of their business, driving production, expanding exports and inspiring new ways to bring this familiar fruit to consumers.
"Almost every factory that packs fresh coconuts depends on China as its main market, almost entirely. After Thailand received permission to export coconuts to China, volumes kept rising, driven by trends and by customers becoming more knowledgeable and health-conscious," said Natthasak Manusrungsri, managing director of K-Fresh Co.
But as demand grows, so does the pressure to innovate. Generations of agricultural knowledge are meeting a new generation of ideas.
For Thai producers, China offers enormous opportunities, but competition is intensifying. As consumer preferences change, exporters are shifting their focus beyond simply increasing sales to developing innovative products that offer greater convenience and bring more value to an increasingly competitive industry.
That transformation begins long before the coconuts leave the trees. Across a network of plantations, precision agriculture is helping farmers monitor growing conditions, identify problem areas, and improve yields, while maintaining the quality of Thailand's renowned coconuts.
Inside the factory, innovation takes a different form. Even the simple act of opening a coconut has been redesigned. A patented mechanism allows consumers to open it with a push.
"Innovation matters for both the farm and production, so we can deliver the highest quality to our customers. So, we practice precision agriculture. And in the factory, we focus on innovation to make it easier for consumers to open and enjoy, bringing quality products to consumers around the world and in China," said Manusrungsri.
For the farmers who tend these palms, the rhythm of life remains much as it has for generations. But beyond the orchards, almost everything else is changing.
And at CIIE 2026, Thailand's humble coconut is showing how an age-old harvest can find new value in a world of changing tastes and possibilities.
Thai coconut exporter taps CIIE to promote industry innovation
