On the final day of a four-day visit to China, Apple CEO Tim Cook sat down with state news agency Xinhuanet to discuss Apple Pay, The Apple Watch, and Wednesday’s meeting with with Chinese premier Ma Kai.
“China is a really key market for us,” said the CEO. “Everything we do, we are going to work it here. Apple Pay is on the top of the list.”
Cook noted that Apple would be working to understand what steps are needed to bring the new mobile payments service to China before meeting with local banks, merchants, and wireless carriers.
Cook also believes that users will find the Apple Watch to be a must-have:
“We are going to wonder how we ever lived without it,” said Cook, “That’s the real test of a great product: you wonder how you live without it. And I think that’s going to happen to the Apple Watch.”
When asked about his Wednesday meeting with Chinese premier Ma Kai, in which it is believed Cook raised issues concerning the iCloud Phishing attack that may have involved the Chinese government, Cook merely commented that the discussion had been “very open,” and fascinating.”
It was also revealed during the interview that the iPhone worker Cook spoke with during a visit to the Foxconn factory, (seen in Cook’s tweet below), had been taking part in Apple’s program to offer employees free courses in English, computing and other topics.
Great to meet talented people like Zhang Fan, who helps make iPhone 6 in Zhengzhou. An early highlight of this trip. pic.twitter.com/ALo5d3SiSZ
— Tim Cook (@tim_cook) October 23, 2014
