Apple CEO on China mission

Tim Cook is on his first trip to China since taking over from late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs in August 2011.

However, the company based in Cupertino, California, declined to release details of Cook's agenda, just saying that the Apple chief executive would meet "government officials" Tuesday, after talks with Beijing's mayor and a visit to Apple's flagship store in the capital Monday.

"China is very important to us and we look forward to even greater investment and growth there," Carolyn Wu, Apple's China spokeswoman told journalists on Tuesday.

China is the world's biggest mobile phone market and Apple's second largest overall. But the maker of iPhones, iPads and iPods ranks in just fifth place in China smartphone sales, and is beset by a range of problems hampering growth.

Room for improvement

In Apple's drive to expand its China business, Cook said recently that the company had "merely scratched the surface."

One of the obstacles in Apple's way is a long-running legal battle with Proview Electronics company over the local rights to the iPad trademark.

Proview - a debt-stricken Taiwan-based technology company - claims to have registered the trademark, and has successfully blocked iPad sales in China.

Although no meetings between the Apple CEO and the company have officially been scheduled, a source close to Proview told Reuters news agency that "he should be here to understand more of the iPad issue and handle the situation."

Furthermore, Tim Cook is facing demands for improving labor standards at its suppliers in China. Foxconn Technology – a Shenzhen-based firm which assembles Apple gadgets – has been accused by activists of running sweatshops, with "poverty wages and excessive overtime."

Cook, especially, is in the line of fire because he helped set up Apple's Asia-based supply chain in his former job as the company's chief operating officer.

uhe/gb (Reuters, dpa)