苹果CEO库克本月将来华访问

Apple chief executive Tim Cook plans to visit Beijing later this month to meet high-level government officials, at a time when the company is facing setbacks in its most important overseas market, a source said.

近日有消息称，苹果CEO蒂姆·库克计划于本月下旬访问北京，与高级政府官员会面。这是该公司在其最重要的海外市场面临挫折后作出的决定。

Cook has frequently traveled to China since taking the helm of Apple five years ago, but his latest visit comes during a critical period.

自从5年前库克掌舵苹果公司以来，他就经常前往中国，但本次的访问处在一个关键时期。

From weakening smartphone sales to the loss of an iPhone trademark dispute and the suspension of some of its online entertainment services, the US technology giant has been facing a flurry of problems in recent weeks in its second-largest market after the US.

从智能手机销量下跌，到输了iPhone商标纠纷，再到其一些在线娱乐服务的暂停，这家美国的科技巨头在这几周内已经在美国本土之外的第二大市场面临到了一连串的问题。

Last week the company reported its first quarterly revenue drop in 13 years.

上周，苹果公司宣布13年来的首次季度收入下滑。

On top of that, billionaire activist investor Carl Icahn said in an interview with CNBC that he had sold his entire stake in Apple, citing China's economic slowdown and worries about whether the government could make it very difficult for Apple to conduct business.

最重要的是，亿万富翁激进投资者卡尔·伊坎在接受CNBC采访时表示，他已经卖掉了他在苹果公司全部股权，理由是中国经济增速放缓以及对中国政府是否会限制苹果公司开展业务的担忧。

During his China visit, Cook plans to meet senior government and Communist party leaders – including officials in charge of propaganda, said the source.

消息来源表示，在中国访问期间，库克计划会见高级政府官员和中国共产党的领导人--其中就包括负责宣传的官员。

Under the president, Xi Jinping, China is also trying to shift away from its dependence on foreign technology, especially in critical sectors such as banking and insurance. Foreign businesses have staunchly opposed new regulations that they claim threaten to cut them out of such industries.

在中国国家主席习近平的指导下，中国也正在试图移除对国外技术的依赖，尤其是在如银行、保险业等关键领域。外国企业对这些新规定都表示坚决反对，他们声称受到了在这些行业内被取代的威胁。

Despite growing concerns over its China business – Apple reported its revenue from Greater China, which includes Hong Kong and Taiwan, dropped 26% last quarter – Cook argued that the country is a "lot more stable" than people think.

尽管在中国的业务越来越令人担忧--苹果公司公布的在包括台湾和香港在内的大中华区的收入上一季度下降了26％--但是库克仍然认为，这个国家比人们想象的要"稳定得多"。

"We remain really optimistic on China," he added.

他补充说："我们仍然很看好中国，"