Apple, Google at China internet fest shows lure of market

HONG KONG – The high-profile attendance of the leaders of Apple and Google at a Chinese conference promoting Beijing’s vision of a censored internet highlights the dilemma for Western tech companies trying to expand in an increasingly lucrative but restricted market.

The weekend event in Wuzhen, a historic canal town outside Shanghai, marked the first time chiefs of two of the world’s biggest tech companies have attended the annual state-run World Internet Conference.

Apple CEO Tim Cook told the gathering his company was proud to work with Chinese partners to build a “common future in cyberspace.”

His and Google CEO Sundar Pichai’s presence along with other business leaders, diplomats and other experts helped bestow credibility on Beijing’s preferred version of an internet sharply at odds with Silicon Valley’s dedication to unrestricted access.