During his visit, Cook met with Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh to discuss potential increases in Apple’s investment and the formation of a governmental working group aimed at assisting Apple’s expansion efforts in Vietnam.
Cook expressed his admiration for Vietnam, describing it as a “vibrant and beautiful country” and highlighting his excitement about connecting with local students, creators, and customers. He emphasized the diverse ways Vietnamese people utilize Apple products to achieve remarkable things.
Developers CollaNote & ELSA Speak walked me through how they use Apple products to help customers boost productivity and learn. Bootloader Studio shared the new app they’re working on for Vision Pro. All three are fantastic examples of Vietnam’s fast growing developer community! pic.twitter.com/YjOxyB6qTJ
— Tim Cook (@tim_cook) April 15, 2024
Cook stated, “At Apple, we always strive to build deep connections and bring more benefits to the people where we operate.
From cooperating with local suppliers to supporting clean water supply projects and educational opportunities, we are committed to continuing to strengthen connections in Vietnam.”
Apple’s financial commitment to Vietnam has significantly increased, with the company more than doubling its annual spending since 2019, reaching nearly 400 trillion VND ($16 billion) in the local supply chain. This investment supports over 200,000 jobs in the region.
Cook shared moments from his tour of Hanoi, including meetings with local developers, musicians, artists, and dancers.
Hanoi Star School is a shining example how educators are incorporating iPad into the classroom in meaningful ways. Thank you Principal Nhan, educators, students & Giang Oi for letting me join your environment lesson where we learned ways we can reduce, reuse and recycle. pic.twitter.com/Qpe5LHZmtA
— Tim Cook (@tim_cook) April 16, 2024
He was particularly impressed by the dynamic Vietnamese hip-hop culture.
Cook’s visit also included a stop at the Hanoi Star School, where he was seen with Lisa Jackson, Apple Vice President of Environment, Policy and Social Initiatives.
The specifics of the Apple executive team’s involvement in the visit were not disclosed.
The strategic importance of Vietnam to Apple is increasing as the company seeks to diversify its manufacturing and development activities beyond China. This includes shifting some of its iPad development work to Vietnam.