20240424 Apple Supplier List and iPhone montage

Apple's most recent official supplier list shows the company is sourcing from more companies from China. (Nikkei montage/Source Photo by Getty Images)

Apple moves closer to China despite supply chain shifts

Japan, Taiwan and U.S. supplier numbers dip as iPhone maker expands in Southeast Asia

CHENG TING-FANG and LAULY LI, Nikkei Asia tech correspondents

April 26, 2024 04:00 JST

TAIPEI -- Apple is deepening its ties with China even as it further expands production in Southeast Asia and India, highlighting the balancing act the iPhone maker is striking between politics and business.

Apple increased its China-headquartered suppliers and Chinese manufacturing sites in 2023 while using fewer suppliers from Taiwan, the U.S., Japan and South Korea, a Nikkei Asia analysis of Apple's latest official list of suppliers shows.