Cybersecurity

Apple, Google CEOs Bring Star Power as China Promotes Censorship

  • Tim Cook speaks at China event that promotes censored internet
  • Google CEO Pichai speaks on panel about digital economy
Bloomberg Intelligence’s Vey-Sern Ling discusses the outlook for Chinese Internet companies.(Source: Bloomberg)
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Apple Inc.’s Tim Cook and Google’s Sundar Pichai made their first appearances at China’s World Internet Conference, bringing star power to a gathbering the Chinese government uses to promote its strategy of tight controls online.

Apple’s chief executive officer gave a surprise keynote at the opening ceremony on Sunday, calling for future internet and AI technologies to be infused with privacy, security and humanity. The same day, one of China’s most-senior officials called for more aggressive government involvement online to combat terrorism and criminals. Wang Huning, one of seven men on China’s top decision-making body, even called for a global response team to go well beyond its borders.