Apple CEO Tim Cook is making a high-profile visit to China, attending a 50th anniversary event at the Chengdu Taikoo Li store featuring a performance by Chinese singer Li Yuchun. The celebration follows a surprise Alicia Keys concert at Apple's Grand Central store in New York last week. Cook's trip comes as Apple navigates complex relationships with Chinese regulators and partners.

According to the China Daily, Cook will attend the China Development Forum in Beijing this weekend and meet with government officials, app developers, and various partners. The visit coincides with Apple's announcement that suppliers in China saved a record 55 billion liters of fresh water last year through the Supplier Clean Water Program. The company highlighted a new aluminum anodization process for the MacBook Neo that 'continuously recycles and recirculates water.'

Apple also lowered its App Store commission rate from 30% to 25% in mainland China on March 15 following discussions with Chinese regulators. However, Bloomberg reports that China is pushing Apple to further ease App Store restrictions and address 'monopolistic' practices. Additionally, Apple is now sharing developer coding videos on the Chinese platform Bilibili ahead of WWDC 2026, marking a significant expansion of its developer outreach in the region.