Apple CEO Tim Cook refused to comment on the protests in China, avoiding questions about why the company's AirDrop feature was limited in the country or his thoughts on the beatings of iPhone factory workers.

Cook was bombarded with questions as he arrived for meetings with lawmakers on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. on Thursday. 

FOX Business asked him whether he supported the protests and if he regretted allegedly restricting AirDrop access. But Cook remained silent. 

The meetings were held just a day after the White House was accused of double standards, as a senior spokesman deflected questions about Apple bowing to Chinese authorities, saying the tech giant was a private company, while the Biden administration says it is monitoring Twitter for misinformation. 

Apple is catching heat for a new software update - exclusive to China - that makes it harder to use iPhones' AirDrop feature. 

That change occurred on November 9 - just weeks before historic nationwide protests broke out over the country's 'zero COVID' lockdowns.

'I'd like to know why ?[Apple]? continues to aid and abet the totalitarian regime in [China] while campaigning against free speech at home,' said Missouri GOP Senator Josh Hawley, throwing both spears at the firm at the same time.

In a letter addressed to CEO Tim Cook on Tuesday, Hawley called on the company to move its existing manufacturing presence in China back to the United States.

'Why did Apple modify the AirDrop feature in China in a manner that makes it more difficult for Chinese protesters to communicate amongst themselves?' he asked.

He accused the tech giant of 'actively supporting the Chinese government's brutal crackdown' on protesters who are sick of living in authoritarian lockdowns that appear to have done little to slow the actual spread of COVID-19.