Tim Cook, CEO of Apple, made a visit to the company's Apple Store in Sanlitun, Beijing on Friday, kicking off the senior executive's first trip to China in three years.

The trip highlighted Apple's emphasis on China, which is not only an important market, but also a key part of its supply chains and a major source of innovation for the company.

During the trip, Cook is scheduled to attend the China Development Forum during the upcoming weekend.

According to Apple, there are more than 5 million registered Chinese mobile app developers within its iPhone ecosystem.

Cook said in an online interview with China Daily last year that China has one of the most vibrant developer communities in the world, and the creativity and passion of the nation's developers for using technology to enrich people's lives is deeply impressive.

Two apps developed by Chinese teams have won Apple Inc's 2022 App Store Awards, showcasing the innovation capabilities of local developers.