[Edaily Reporter KIM JUNG YOU ] John Turners, Apple’s new CEO, opened an account on the Chinese social media platform Weibo and posted his first message. Although he only offered a brief greeting in both English and Chinese, observers say this move once again underscores the importance Apple places on China, especially when compared to other countries where the company has not posted any messages.

According to China’s state-run Global Times on the 2nd (local time), CEO Turners opened a Weibo account the previous afternoon and posted a greeting saying “Hello” in both English and Chinese. As of that day, the post had been shared more than 35,000 times and received over 26,000 “likes.” CEO Turners’ Weibo account also had 71,000 followers.

Previously, on the 31st of last month, former Apple CEO Tim Cook also posted a farewell message on Weibo, stating, “My title may change, but my love for the Apple community will last forever,” and adding, “I look forward to the next chapter.”

CEO Turnus’s first message to China came ahead of the new product launch event scheduled for the 9th. Apple is set to unveil its first foldable smartphone, the “iPhone Ultra,” along with the existing “iPhone 18” series. This is expected to be CEO Turnus’s first official event.

Wang Feng, a deputy researcher at the Beijing Academy of Social Sciences, commented in an interview with the Global Times, “The fact that CEO Turners reached out to Chinese users immediately after taking office suggests that Apple’s long-standing policy of prioritizing the Chinese market—which boasts a strong brand foundation and a massive consumer base—will continue.”

He added, “China has now evolved beyond a mere consumer market to become a core market where consumption, manufacturing, supply chains, and the app ecosystem are integrated,” noting, “Whether the new CEO can maintain and expand these deep ties will be far more important than mere social media activity.”

Apple currently faces a complex environment in China. In addition to defending its position in the premium smartphone market, Chinese brands are already growing the foldable phone market with their strong brands and consumer recognition. From Apple’s perspective, the company must seek a direction that differentiates itself from existing Android foldable phones.

Apple is a powerhouse that maintains the top market share in the premium smartphone segment in China. Unlike its global competitor, SamsungElectronics(005930), which has struggled to gain traction in the Chinese market, Apple has built a strong local fan base. It is also reported that Apple is developing an artificial intelligence (AI) model exclusively for the local market with support from Alibaba to launch “Apple Intelligence” in China.

Recently, Apple has been facing both fierce competition and opportunities in the smartphone market. According to a report by market research firm IDC, as of last July, smartphone shipments in China totaled approximately 66 million units, a 4.3% decrease from the same period last year; however, Apple saw a 24.4% increase, raising its market share from 13.9% to 18.1% year-over-year.