Tim Cook lauds tech role in education sector

Apple CEO Tim Cook said on Saturday he was impressed by how technology has greatly changed the education sector and narrowed the rural and urban digital divide worldwide, including in China.

"It was so wonderful hearing about how the past years have changed so much (here) with the introduction of our technology, and how students' engagement have dramatically changed their learning habits," he said.

Also on Saturday, the tech giant announced an increase in its donation to the China Development Research Foundation to 100 million yuan ($14.5 million) to create growth opportunities for teachers and students across China.

"Education is in Apple's DNA, and we believe every student should have access to the best tools and resources to learn, create, and contribute to their communities," Cook said.

"We are proud to deepen our support for education across China, and to help create opportunities for young learners in rural communities," he added.

Fang Jin, secretary general of the foundation, said: "Digitalization is vital for the development of China's education and an important tool to achieve education equity."

"We are excited to further our partnership with Apple in education and hope to improve the chances for rural students to succeed by providing them quality education and access to technology," Fang said.