BEIJING: Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook on Saturday said that he is “extremely bullish” about the global economy based on the amount of innovation underway and urged China to continue to “open up” amid complaints from the US and others that it is shutting foreign firms out of key high-tech industries.

In a speech at an economic forum in Beijing, Cook said Apple is less concerned with the short-term economic outlook because the tech giant makes investments looking ahead years, even decades.

“In the long-term, I’m extremely bullish. I think the key to the economy, unlocking its potential has always been innovation, and when I travel around the world, I’ve never seen innovation at a more feverish pace than I do today, so I’m extremely optimistic,” Cook told participants at the China Development Forum, a gathering of business leaders in Beijing.

His remarks come as China and the US prepare to meet again to resolve their trade dispute, which has roiled global markets, and as Apple is expected to announce that it is launching a video service.

Published in Dawn, March 24th, 2019