For many U.S. tech companies, access to the Chinese market requires walking a tightrope between the liberal principles they promote at home and the laws they must abide by in China. Yesterday, Apple CEO Tim Cook became the latest Silicon Valley executive to perform such a high-wire act, issuing a letter to employees defending the company’s decision to remove an app embraced by protesters in Hong Kong—and despised by Beijing.
“National and international debates will outlive us all,” Cook said in the company-wide email, verified by Reuters. “And, while important, they do not govern the facts. In this case, we thoroughly reviewed them, and we believe this decision best protects our users.”
