Photo: screenshot of Apple's new CEO John Ternus's Weibo account

Apple's new CEO John Ternus opened an account on Chinese social media platform Weibo and posted his first message to Chinese fans on Tuesday night Beijing time, after he formally took the helm of the US tech giant from Tim Cook, who had also posted a farewell message on Weibo. 

The bilingual messages from the two Apple executives drew broad attention on Chinese social media and underscored great importance the US tech giant attaches to the Chinese market, experts noted. 

Ternus greeted Chinese fans with a bilingual "Hello" on Tuesday night. As of press time on Wednesday, the two-word message was reposted over 35,000 times and garnered over 26,000 likes, while Ternus' account has drawn about 71,000 followers. 

Previously, on the evening of August 31, Cook posted a bilingual farewell message on Weibo on his final day as Apple chief executive. "My title changes tomorrow, but the love I have for the Apple community never will," he wrote, adding that he was "excited for the next chapter."

Notably, the messages come as Apple is scheduled to hold a product launch event on September 9, where it is expected to unveil its first foldable iPhone Ultra and the iPhone 18 Pro series, among other products. The event could be the first major public appearance for Ternus as Apple CEO.

Ternus' move to engage Chinese users immediately after taking office signals continuity in Apple's long-standing focus on China, a market where it has established a strong brand foundation and access to a large consumer base, Wang Peng, an associate research fellow at the Beijing Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times.

"China is no longer just a consumer market, but a key market linking consumption, manufacturing, supply chain and the app ecosystem. Whether the new CEO can maintain and expand these deep ties will matter far more than a single social-media gesture," Wang said. 

Ternus is taking over at a time when Apple faces a more complex competitive landscape in China. Beyond defending its position in the premium smartphone segment, the company is preparing to enter the foldable-phone market, where Chinese brands have already built strong product lineups and consumer recognition, analysts noted.

In addition, the company is reportedly developing an artificial intelligence model for the Chinese market with support from Alibaba as it seeks to roll out Apple Intelligence in the country.

Ternus' hardware-engineering background may help shape Apple's product strategy, with greater emphasis on hardware experience and ecosystem integration. That could help Apple pursue a different path from existing Android foldables in China and add a new variable to competition in the high-end smartphone market, Wang added.

China's overall smartphone shipments declined in the second quarter of 2026, but Apple bucked the trend with strong growth, underscoring both the intense competition and continued opportunities in the market. 

According to IDC data released on July 14, smartphone shipments in China fell 4.3 percent year-on-year to about 66 million units; Apple phone shipments, however, surged 24.4 percent, lifting its market share to 18.1 percent from 13.9 percent a year earlier and placing it second behind Huawei.