The reason for the change of heart is likely to be an inspection by the authorities of goods from Taiwan at Apple locations in China. In the worst case, officials could refuse to accept the goods or impose fines on Apple.
Apparently Apple wants to avoid these problems. The upcoming iPhone 14 is expected to be presented and released in mid-September. The production of millions of devices is currently running at full speed. The manufacturer can hardly afford a delay here.
Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the US House of Representatives, recently visited Taiwan. Relations between the US, Taiwan and China have since deteriorated again. The People’s Republic sees a clear provocation in the trip.