Image via State Administration for Market Regulation

What you need to know

  • Tim Cook has met with the Chief of China's market regulator in Beijing.
  • Topics discussed included investment in China, consumer right and corporate social responsibility.
  • News comes in wake of criticism over Apple's decision to remove HKmap.live from its App Store.

Apple CEO Tim Cook has met with the chief of China's State Administration for Market Regulation, Xiao Yaqing, in Beijing on Thursday. The news comes in the wake of Apple's controversial decision to remove HKmap.live from its App Store, a mapping app that allowed Hong Kong citizens to see police movement and protest incidents in the city. According to Reuters:

China's State Administration for Market Regulation said in a statement on its website that its chief, Xiao Yaqing, and Cook discussed topics including Apple expanding investment in China, consumer rights protection and fulfilling corporate social responsibility. It did not give more details.

Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Apple's decision to allow HKmap.live onto its App Store in the first place drew scathing criticism from state media outlet People's Daily. Apple found itself on the end of even more criticism from global onlookers following its decision to remove the app.

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It's not all bad news however, as recent reports suggest that US-China trade talks have been buoyed by optimism that tariff increases could be delayed, as small ray of light at the end of a 15-month trade war tunnel. Just yesterday analyst reports also suggest that Apple's iPhone 11 was doing "much better" than expected in China following its launch.