Apple CEO Tim Cook Meets With China's Vice Premier

Apple CEO Tim Cook is in China this week, meeting with the country's leadership to discuss intellectual property issues and to strengthen ties for greater cooperation, according to a report by the WSJ. Cook met with China Vice Premier Li Keqiang on Tuesday at Zhongnanhai, a location reserved for visiting foreign dignitaries.

Li is expected to succeed Wen Jiabao as China's premier next year in a leadership change that comes only once a decade. His meeting with Cook is a positive indicator of better ties between the gadget maker and China, a relationship that's been a bit complicated lately.

Apple has been facing increasing scrutiny and criticism for poor labor practices in China related to the Foxconn controversies, while its iPad shipments were seized by the government last month after Chinese manufacturer Proview Technology claimed the "iPad" name infringed on their trademark. Futhermore, copycat Apple products are rampant in the country.

"China will create a good environment for and strengthen the protection of intellectual-property rights for fair competition among various enterprises including foreign and domestic ones, according to the Chinese law," said Li, according to a Chinese state media report.