On March 22, the 2026 annual meeting of the China Development Forum kicked off in Beijing. In his speech, Apple CEO Tim Cook said that he would continue to support China's innovation, green development and education, and emphasized the importance of all parties working together to create a future. Cook has attended the forum’s annual meetings for many consecutive years, and this year he served as the foreign chairman of the forum.
Cook started his speech clearly, citing Apple's "1+1=3" philosophy and pointing out that cooperation can create extraordinary value that transcends individuals. He specifically mentioned a favorite Chinese proverb, "A single tree cannot make a forest, and a single note cannot make a song." "I believe that working hand in hand, we will be able to cultivate this forest; I believe that we can not only play music, but also compose a symphony."
Cook spoke highly of China's achievements on the road of high-quality development. He pointed out that China's technology developer community is a vivid embodiment of "new productive forces" and is using innovative tools to promote social progress. In the field of manufacturing, Cook praised the "extraordinary" progress made by partners in automation and smart manufacturing, and emphasized that Apple is proud to be involved in jointly promoting the development of smart manufacturing to a higher level.
In terms of green development, Cook announced that more than 90% of Apple's production in China uses clean energy, and more than 90 suppliers have pledged to achieve 100% renewable electricity for the production of Apple products by 2030. He said that the innovations of Chinese supplier partners in areas such as 3D printing, industrial wastewater treatment and high-efficiency solar panels have made outstanding contributions to reducing environmental carbon footprints.
In addition, he also talked about the significance of "investing in people" and emphasized the importance of education. He said education is one of the most powerful forces for realizing opportunity, helping people build the knowledge and skills to succeed in a rapidly changing world. Businesses also have an important role to play in this regard, by working with educational institutions to ensure that students learn the skills needed for a modern innovative economy.
He announced that Apple will make an additional donation to its long-term partner China Development Research Foundation to support a nationwide vocational education pilot project, where industry experts will provide guidance and training to vocational school students.
Cook said that the three pillars of innovation, green development and education are closely linked and represent the progressive vision shared by Apple and its partners. Through unremitting efforts based on common goals, cooperation and trust, all parties can not only write a new chapter, but also co-author a brand new "book".