The official also met with other foreign businessmen.
On Wednesday, Apple CEO Tim Cook arrived in China to meet with the company's contractors and partners in the region; on Thursday, he took part in the opening ceremony of a new branded store in Shanghai, and on Sunday, Cook is scheduled to attend a forum dedicated to the economic development of the PRC. The Nikkei Asian Review confirms that Tim Cook remains in China as he met with Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao yesterday.
Image source: Nikkei Asian Review
The Chinese official also held meetings with other representatives of foreign business who arrived in Beijing to participate in the forum, which will begin tomorrow. The Minister of Commerce of the People's Republic of China assured the forum participants that the country's authorities remain committed to openness and providing opportunities for business development for transnational corporations. With some regret, the official was forced to note that from January to February, foreign investment in the Chinese economy fell by 20% compared to the same period last year.
The Chinese minister had a separate conversation with the head of the South Korean company SK hynix, Kwak Noh-Jung, during which the parties discussed the prospects for the development of supply chains in both countries, and also expressed hope for increasing the share of SK hynix in the domestic market of China. As you know, the activities of SK hynix, which produces the bulk of its products in China, are under close attention from the United States. So far, the authorities of this country allow SK hynix to invest in the development of its production in China, but maintaining such conditions required serious efforts from the South Korean side. The Chinese Minister of Commerce also held meetings with representatives of the financial sector and pharmaceutical business.