This makes sense to me, there is legal and cultural differences.

China is a sovereign country, and Apple is just playing by the rules in that country, one that is rooted in authoritarianism and surveillance.

In America, although companies could voluntarily work with law enforcement, the cultural norm and historical momentum is rooted in pushing back against big government and the people’s role in checking the government’s power. There are many different viewpoints around this and those ideas constantly changing.

It should be no surprise though, that Apple may have different strategies in different counties.