While Apple is facing mounting competitive pressure in China, it plans to open a new research-and-development facility in Asian country. The site will bring together engineers from some of Apple’s existing centers, the company said during Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook’s visit to Beijing.

"The center will open later this year, bringing together our engineering and operations teams in China as we develop advanced technologies and services for our products," Apple said.

Apple's spending on research and development has quadrupled in the same time frame as investors are eager to see results from other projects Apple is exploring amid slowing iPhone sales.

Apple has already hired thousands of engineers to work on a self-driving car, while it’s also exploring virtual and augmented reality as potential new sources of revenue.

Apple has also faced mounting regulatory pressure in China. The company was forced to shut down its iTunes Movies and iBooks services there in April, six months after they were permitted to operate. It also lost a patent case against a Chinese rival relating to the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, along with a trademark dispute over the use of the word IPHONE on leather goods.