Apple CEO Tim Cook on Monday courted the company’s largest market by opening a personal account on China’s most popular twitter-like microblogging site.
His verified account on Weibo, operated by internet company Sina Corp, had garnered over 400,000 followers less than a day after it went online. The site has 176 million monthly active users as of the end of 2014.
“Hello China! Happy to be back in Beijing, announcing innovative new environmental programs,” read the account’s first posting published on Monday afternoon.
The launch of Cook’s blog coincided with his sixth visit to China this week, where the company said he would seek to expand renewable paper and energy initiatives.
Apple said it is partnering with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) to protect forests used in the production of paper packaging for Apple items, and it would increase its use of renewable energy in its factories in China.
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Cook’s debut on social media in China caught the attention of a number of top names in the Chinese technology world, including some of the domestic smartphone makers who compete directly with Apple.
Lei Jun, chairman of fast-growing Xiaomi, and Deputy Senior Executive Yu Chengdong of Huawei Technologies both retweeted Cook’s post and said they welcome his visit. The two companies are second and third behind Apple in smartphone shipments in China.
