Apple entered China’s manufacturing network in the early 2000s to make products faster and at lower cost. Its 2002 partnership with Foxconn helped produce the iMac G4, but the investment also expanded local manufacturing expertise, according to Patrick McGee, author of *Apple in China*.
The article says Apple spent billions on equipment, training and technology to meet its production and quality demands. It cites $275 billion in Apple investment between 2016 and 2021 and says the company helped train nearly 28 million Chinese workers, from factory operators to engineers. McGee argues that this experience built skills extending well beyond electronics assembly.
Suppliers that had made products such as iPhones later diversified into areas including televisions, drones and electric vehicles. The article points to Xiaomi and Huawei as technology companies that have moved into EVs, while Tesla’s Shanghai factory is described as benefiting from workers shaped by China’s manufacturing culture. It presents Apple’s role as one contributor to the capabilities behind China’s wider technology and automotive industries.
The piece compares Apple’s impact with Volkswagen’s earlier manufacturing venture in Shanghai, which it says helped develop local automotive expertise. Its central argument is that Apple sought efficient production but also helped build capabilities now used by Chinese companies competing in global markets, including the EV sector.