Tim Cook Says Chinese Security Talks Were 'Very Open', Bringing Apple Pay to China a Priority

[MacRumors]

Tim Cook was optimistic about Apple's relationship with China following a meeting with top Chinese government officials in Beijing on Wednesday to discuss data privacy and security. Cook told China's Xinhua news agency (Via Reuters) that he had "very open" talks with a senior official.

Chinese vice premier Ma Kai, a member of the CPC Central Committee Political Bureau, met with the CEO of the world's most valuable company on Wednesday morning. They had discussed a series of topics including privacy and security. Cook described it as "very open", "fascinating" and "impressive", but he declined specifics.

As part of the interview, Cook also confirmed Apple's plan to launch Apple Pay and other technologies in China saying, "China is a really key market for us. Everything we do, we are going to work it here. Apple Pay is on the top of the list." Cook spoke to Xinhua News during his 4-day-long trip to China, which saw the CEO also visit a Foxconn factory in Zhengzhou City.

China is an increasingly important market for the Cupertino company, which now has 16 percent of the smartphone market share behind Samsung (23 percent) and Xiaomi (21 percent). Apple plans to expand its presence even further in the country by opening 25 new stores in the next two years.

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Article Link: Tim Cook Says Chinese Security Talks Were 'Very Open', Bringing Apple Pay to China a Priority

 

[xero9]

If this is the case, then maybe there is hope for Europe/Canada after all!

 

[cameronjpu]

The headline just proves that Tim Cook knows how to play the game. There's no way he actually believes that the talks were very open, but saying that they were is crucial to stroking the Chinese politicians.

 

[2457282]

The headline just proves that Tim Cook knows how to play the game. There's no way he actually believes that the talks were very open, but saying that they were is crucial to stroking the Chinese politicians.

Probably true. Also true is how important China is for Apple. This means that like it or not, Tim has got to play the game. And play it well.

 

[El Hikaru]

I think Cook is doing the right track talking to them directly. In China, tight relationship is a key to do just about anything. Close relationship is more important than honesty, or legitimacy. There are no contract papers when you rent an apartment, or order batch of merchandises without UCC like regulation. Don't be upset just because Chinese people turn their back on you. You just have not build enough friendship before dealing business with them.
I leaned from my wife who is a Chinese...

 

[Mums]

China's got most of America's money now - I've seen it myself. China is the new consumer powerhouse. Strange world.

 

[imwoblin]

Let's just hope Tim Cook doesn't capitulate with the Chinese government and give them an encryption key in exchange for access into the Chinese market.

 

[hkenneth]

Bring iBook store to China first please.

 

[RedOrchestra]

Bring iBook store to China first please.

Without a whole lot of censorship, that ain't going to happen.

 

[Parasprite]

This revealed less about the attacks than I expected. I wonder if Cook originally planned to go there regarding Apple Pay/other business matters and threw this in at the last minute.

 

[Col4bin]

And by "open" they of course really mean "closed"!

 

[Eraserhead]

China's got most of America's money now - I've seen it myself. China is the new consumer powerhouse. Strange world.

It has the most people, so you would expect it to be the biggest market .

 

[gnasher729]

Let's just hope Tim Cook doesn't capitulate with the Chinese government and give them an encryption key in exchange for access into the Chinese market.

Why not? The Chinese government can have all the encryption keys they like. If they start asking for _decryption_ keys, that's something else. (For example when you use encrypted emails via S/MIME, your encryption keys are actually _public_. Everyone sending you an encrypted emails sends it using _your_ encryption key. The idea is that you are the only person with the decryption key who can read the message).

 

[wankey]

I think Cook is doing the right track talking to them directly. In China, tight relationship is a key to do just about anything. Close relationship is more important than honesty, or legitimacy. There are no contract papers when you rent an apartment, or order batch of merchandises without UCC like regulation. Don't be upset just because Chinese people turn their back on you. You just have not build enough friendship before dealing business with them.
I leaned from my wife who is a Chinese...

It's called guanxi

 

[macnisse]

I think Cook is doing the right track talking to them directly. In China, tight relationship is a key to do just about anything. Close relationship is more important than honesty, or legitimacy. There are no contract papers when you rent an apartment, or order batch of merchandises without UCC like regulation. Don't be upset just because Chinese people turn their back on you. You just have not build enough friendship before dealing business with them.
I leaned from my wife who is a Chinese...

Yep.

 

[jmh600cbr]

I'm hoping canada is very high on this list also. The infrastructure is absolutely everywhere. I have been paying to tap for everything for about 3 years now.

 

[Pagemakers]

Money money money.

Chase chase chase.

 

[Edd.Dantes]

There is no game to be played. Not sure what planet some of you live on...

China censors everything and tracks their people's every move. Apple wants that pie but they already "rolled" over because the iPhone is in China.

Tim Cook cannot sway Beijing and their ways. This is all fluff. If you think a Chinese user has an equal amount of privacy, just because it's an Apple device, then you're delusional or crazy.

Tim going to China was as useless as if I had went. It was all for show.

 

[nazaar]

Com'on Canada.... please don't be like iTunes Radio. Officially in the US, but not in Canada

 

[rish]

China's got most of America's money now - I've seen it myself. China is the new consumer powerhouse. Strange world.

Not strange at all. It's the language of capitalism. We should be very aware and used to that here in the West. You buy key assets therefore you control. End of.

 

[Mums]

It has the most people, so you would expect it to be the biggest market .

Umm... wrong. Japan has only one twelfth the population compared to China, and is still a more powerful market. Germany, France, UK - all much smaller than China. Not understanding your illogical statement.

----------

Not strange at all. It's the language of capitalism. We should be very aware and used to that here in the West. You buy key assets therefore you control. End of.

Wrong. You neglect to consider the Crown Corporation with its worldwide chain of central banks including the Bank of England and the Federal Reserve. There is no free market anywhere any more, and your understanding of world finance and economy is very shallow.

 

[Eraserhead]

Umm... wrong. Japan has only one twelfth the population compared to China, and is still a more powerful market. Germany, France, UK - all much smaller than China. Not understanding your illogical statement.

The fact that China is currently the world's largest economy in PPP dollars and that it is the world's second largest economy at current exchange rates, as well as the fact that China and India have been the world's largest economies for most of the last thousand years due to their high populations.

Wrong. You neglect to consider the Crown Corporation with its worldwide chain of central banks including the Bank of England and the Federal Reserve. There is no free market anywhere any more, and your understanding of world finance and economy is very shallow.

Source?

 

[zin]

Wrong. You neglect to consider the Crown Corporation with its worldwide chain of central banks including the Bank of England and the Federal Reserve. There is no free market anywhere any more, and your understanding of world finance and economy is very shallow.

It is interesting that you consider the poster's understanding of world finance to be shallow when you are simply repeating a conspiracy view that was hijacked by anti-government anarchists a long time ago.

 

[Tech198]

Maybe China was just trying to "fake" it ? Now Tim had also opened the door for privacy and security, what's to stop Chine for easily hacking more if their services ?

Personally, i will say a quick goodbye to the privacy of Apple... it was short lived, but making it available to (even one of the biggest markets), Tim overlooks something here....

And no one will know, until it's too late..

It may be a toss of the coin, but personally, i would value security over and over a big market any day..... It may be the wrong thing to do now, but at least your know your safe. How do we know what China will do with this ?

I just realized, i wouldn't be a good business person so shoot me.

At the end of the day, when everyone will be attacked, i'll be the only sole survive... even if i don't have any money.

 

[Eraserhead]

Maybe China was just trying to "fake" it ? Now Tim had also opened the door for privacy and security, what's to stop Chine for easily hacking more if their services ?

Personally, i will say a quick goodbye to the privacy of Apple... it was short lived, but making it available to (even one of the biggest markets), Tim overlooks something here....

And no one will know, until it's too late..

It may be a toss of the coin, but personally, i would value security over and over a big market any day..... It may be the wrong thing to do now, but at least your know your safe. How do we know what China will do with this ?

I just realized, i wouldn't be a good business person so shoot me.

At the end of the day, when everyone will be attacked, i'll be the only sole survive... even if i don't have any money.

They aren't exactly going to put the servers for western countries in China are they. For starters it's too far away for most of them.