Apple has allocated 30 million yuan (approximately $4.1 million) to Zhejiang University to support app development training in China.
During his visit, CEO Tim Cook also toured Hangzhou, which is known as China’s artificial intelligence center and is the home of the controversial chatbot DeepSeek.
Apple’s Diplomatic Engagement in China
Despite efforts to diversify production to countries like India and Thailand, Apple continues to rely heavily on China, where most of its iPhones are manufactured at a single facility. The dynamic between the U.S. and China has frequently been fraught, with the Chinese government actively discouraging citizens from purchasing iPhones at times.
Given this context, it’s not surprising that Apple pursues various diplomatic strategies, such as funding government initiatives. A notable effort in this regard is the Mobile Application Innovation Competition, which has benefitted over 30,000 Chinese students.
Apple’s $4M Donation for Chinese App Development
Apple unveiled a new coding education initiative today, in collaboration with Zhejiang University.
With a donation of 30 million yuan, Apple aims to deepen its commitment to supporting the next generation of Chinese developers. This initiative follows a decade-long support of the mobile application innovation competition, reinforcing Apple’s ongoing educational initiatives for students and developers in Greater China.
Apple plans to jointly establish the Apple Mobile Application Incubation Fund with Zhejiang University, the partner in the Mobile Application Innovation Competition, to offer advanced technical training, covering essential fields like app development, product design, marketing, and business operations.
Tim Cook expressed that the company is proud to contribute to this new program.
We view programming as a transformative tool that empowers individuals to create, connect, and address challenges in innovative ways. We are privileged to extend our decade-long partnership with Zhejiang University, providing skill support to future developers, assisting them in crafting groundbreaking applications, and fostering dynamic businesses.
He shared a video showcasing his visit to the university on his Weibo account.
Cook’s Visit to DeepSeek’s Hometown
Liang Wenfeng, the founder of DeepSeek, is an alumnus of Zhejiang University, and Bloomberg notes that Cook also paid a visit to Hangzhou, the birthplace of the developers behind this contentious AI platform.
According to Chinese state media, Cook referred to DeepSeek as “excellent,” which could be interpreted as a diplomatic gesture given the app’s challenges regarding privacy and security.
The Chinese government has effectively compelled Apple to collaborate with a local firm for the launch of Apple Intelligence in the country.
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