BEIJING, Oct 15 (Reuters) - Apple ( AAPL ) will boost

investment in China and further step up cooperation there, Chief

Executive Tim Cook told the industry minister during a meeting

on Wednesday in the capital, Beijing, the ministry said in a

summary of their remarks.

The comments come as the iPhone maker looks to sidestep U.S.

tariffs on shipments from countries including its production

hubs, China and India, by boosting already hefty investment in

the United States to $600 billion over the next four years.

China hopes Apple ( AAPL ) will continue to explore the Chinese

market, Li Lecheng, who is also in charge of infotech, told

Cook, adding that China would continue to foster a good business

environment for foreign firms, including Apple ( AAPL ).

The summary gave no details of the size of the projected

investment. Apple ( AAPL ) did not immediately respond to a Reuters

request for comment.

Cook, who is in China this week, visited Apple's ( AAPL ) store in

Shanghai and met Chinese game developers and the designer of the

popular Labubu dolls, he said in posts on China's X-like Weibo.

On Monday he said the iPhone Air would be available for

pre-order in China after the ministry cleared the way for major

telecom operators to support its eSIM functionality.

When Cook visited China in March, Apple ( AAPL ) unveiled plans for a

new clean energy fund there worth 720 million yuan ($101

million).

($1=7.1258 Chinese yuan renminbi)