(Yicai) March 19 -- Apple's Tim Cook is in Chengdu, a major economic hub in western China, to take part in events celebrating the US tech giant's 50th anniversary.

The Apple chief executive appeared on stage with a famous local artist and greeted attendees in Chinese at the Apple Store in Taikoo Li Chengdu yesterday. Making his first trip to China this year, Cook will also attend the China Development Forum in Beijing next week.

California-based Apple, the US’ second-most valuable company with a market capitalization of USD3.67 trillion, turns 50 on April 1.

Cook's visit also comes as Apple rolls out new products in China. The iPhone 17e and MacBook Neo went on sale last week, breaking the company's traditional price floor by selling for below CNY4,000 (USD556) after national subsidies, marking a strategic shift in the firm's pricing strategy amid fierce competition.

China is Apple's most important supply base and one of its top markets. Revenue from the country surged 38 percent to USD25.5 billion in the quarter ended Dec. 27 from a year earlier, according to the firm's most recent financial report.

Cook's Chengdu stopover has been carefully planned. The city is a key link in Apple's global supply chain, with local manufacturers involved in producing precision parts and handling final assembly for its devices.

Chengdu BYD Electronics, for instance, is one of the main suppliers of structural components to Apple, while the Chengdu base of Hon Hai Precision Industry, better known as Foxconn, has repeatedly undertaken the production of Apple’s core products, with nearly half of iPads sold worldwide made there.

Editors: Tang Shihua, Martin Kadiev