Apple donates 30 million yuan in support for coding education in China

US tech giant Apple on Wednesday announced it is accelerating its support for the next generation of developers in China with a new 30 million yuan (US$4.18 million) donation to Zhejiang University.

"We believe coding is a powerful tool that empowers people to create, communicate, and solve problems in entirely new ways," said Apple CEO Tim Cook while visiting the university in east China on the same day.

"We are proud to expand our decade-long partnership with Zhejiang University to support the next generation of coders with the skills to create innovative apps and build dynamic businesses," he said.

The fund will connect students with industry leaders and investors through workshops, internships, and mentorships, providing more business-related training for students to succeed in the growing iOS app economy and beyond, the company said in a statement.

In collaboration with Apple, Zhejiang University will establish the Apple App Incubation Fund to offer training in the latest technologies, with specialized curricula in app development, product design, marketing, and business operations.

The new donation follows Apple's decade of support for the Mobile Application Innovation Contest organized by Zhejiang University, which has benefited some 30,000 participants from nearly 1,000 universities across the country.

The donation followed a new clean energy fund worth 720 million yuan set up in China by Apple on Monday, amid Cook's latest visit to China, during which he attended the opening ceremony of the China Development Forum in Beijing.