Tim Cook, CEO of Apple, highlighted that the company's Chinese suppliers have made a significant contribution to carbon emission reductions.

The largest carbon emissions are from the supply chain and the customer uses, and Apple has set its goal to be carbon neutral across its products by 2030, Cook said during a discussion session at the ongoing China Development Forum, which kicked off on Sunday in Beijing.

He said Apple announced its first carbon-neutral product and it's an Apple Watch. "We would not be able to achieve our objectives nor would we have been able to achieve our carbon neutrality on the watch without our suppliers. It is really a matter of one plus one equals three. It's the collaboration that is so important..."

Citing that the company has a lot of suppliers in China, Cook said, "They are not only receptive to the goal, they have also been innovative, and figure out new ways of doing things. It's going beyond what we initially can solve."

"If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go further, go together," he said while emphasizing the significant role of Chinese partners in reducing carbon emissions.