Apple CEO Signed 'Secret' $275B Deal with Chinese Communist Party
The report is based on interviews and purported internal Apple documents.
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Apple CEO Time Cook reportedly signed a secret agreement worth more than $275 billion with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to help develop China's economy and technological capabilities.
The report is based on interviews and purported internal Apple documents.
Cook personally forged a five-year agreement with the Chinese government during a series of visits to the country in 2016.
The push for a closer alliance with the Chinese Communist Party came after Apple executives were concerned about bad publicity in China.
According to internal documents, Cook "personally lobbied officials" in China over threats made against Apple Pay, iCloud, and the App Store.
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The Apple CEO set to use "memorandum of understanding" between Apple and a powerful Chinese government agency called the National Development and Reform Commission to agree on various concessions in return for regulatory exemptions
The 1,250-word agreement was written by Apple's government affairs team in China.
The Information reported:
In May 2016, Cook announced that Apple would be investing $1 billion in the Chinese ride-hailing startup Didi Chuxing in a pointed attempt to mollify authorities, the report added.
Shortly after, Cook, Apple Chief Operating Officer Jeff Williams, and government affairs head Lisa Jackson met with senior government officials in Zhongnanhai, the central headquarters of the Communist Party of China.
Cook's negotiations led to the successful signing of the multibillion-dollar agreement, quashing a number of regulatory actions against the company with exemptions and enabling access to the Chinese market, in return for significant investments, business deals, and worker training in the country.
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Apple pledged in the agreement to help Chinese manufacturers develop "the most advanced manufacturing technologies," "support the training of high-quality Chinese talents," use more Chinese supplier's components and invest in Chinese tech companies, as well as assistance with around a dozen Chinese government causes.
According to the agreement, if there are no objections, the deal would be extended for an additional year until May 2022.
Apple promised to invest "many billions of dollars more" besides China, including on new retail stores, research and development facilities, and renewable energy projects.
Apple's pledge amounted to more than $275 billion in spending across five years, according to the internal documents.
In October, Neon Nettle reported Apple had deleted popular Bible apps from China's App Store after being told to do so by the CCP.
According to multiple reports, a large number of religious apps were pulled by Apple to please the atheist Communist regime.
Both Bible App, a bible study app manufactured by Olive Tree, and Quran Majeed, developed by PDMS, were removed as Apple appeared to bow to China's ongoing campaign of religious persecution.
