Apple had it running since much earlier than 2016. The earliest I heard of Apple running something like a permanent engineering centre in the city was in 2013.

Apple had it running since much earlier than 2016. The earliest I heard of Apple running something like a permanent engineering centre in the city was in 2013. I was saying them trying to hide its existence because for long Apple demanded its employees in China to even refrain from publishing the fact of their employment with them like on LinkedIn But the industry is too small, everybody knew about it for years. So 2016, was more like an official inauguration, when Apple admitted its existence, moved all their offices in the city to Kerry plaza, and put a nameplate on it.