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What was Tim Cook doing in China this week?

By
Philip Elmer-DeWitt
Philip Elmer-DeWitt
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By
Philip Elmer-DeWitt
Philip Elmer-DeWitt
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May 16, 2015, 10:41 AM ET
Tim Cook

Tim Cook had serious business this week in China. He bought a million acres of Chinese forest. He met with Vice Premier Liu Yandong. He had high-level discussions about scientific and educational cooperation, whatever that means.

He also had some fun, judging from the Weibo account he opened on Monday and which by Saturday had drawn nearly 600,000 followers.

Weibo is China’s leading social network — a homegrown combination of Twitter and Facebook — and Cook used his new account to document public appearances at several schools and Apple Stores. It was a kind of victory tour, after a quarter in which iPhone sales in China finally overtook the U.S.

His Weibo posts:

  • Hello China! Happy to be back in Beijing, announcing innovative new environmental programs.
  • Thanks to the students and teachers at the Elementary School at Communication University of China for a fascinating visit today.
  • It’s great to see innovation making a difference in the classroom, and we’re proud that iPad is a part of it.
  • We had a great time at the Apple Store Xidan Joy City thanks to all the customers and employees there!
  • Eddy, Lisa and I joined an Apple Watch workshop at the Apple Store West Lake in Hangzhou. Breathtaking store in a beautiful city!
  • What an honor to meet Mrs. Ma, a Shanghai teacher for 32 years and regular at our store on Nanjing East Road.
  • Thanks to all our customers and staff for a great week in China. Zaijian!

.

Link: Tim Cook’s Weibo account.

Follow Philip Elmer-DeWitt on Twitter at @philiped. Read his Apple (AAPL) coverage at fortune.com/ped or subscribe via his RSS feed.

About the Author
By Philip Elmer-DeWitt
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