China bans Apple products from government purchases

[cirr]

China bans Apple products from government purchases: Bloomberg

BEIJING Wed Aug 6, 2014 8:36am BST

A worker climbs outside an Apple store in Hong Kong April 10, 2013.

CREDIT: REUTERS/BOBBY YIP

(Reuters) - China has prohibited government agencies from purchasing Apple Inc hardware products due to security concerns, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing government officials familiar with the matter.

Ten Apple products including versions of the iPad tablet and MacBook laptop have been omitted from a government procurement list distributed by China's National Development and Reform Commission and Ministry of Finance, Bloomberg News said. They were included in a June draft, according to the report.

The ban would apply to all central and local agencies in China, Bloomberg News said.

Reuters could not immediately reach officials at the NDRC and finance ministry for comment. Apple spokespeople in China did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The report comes after the Chinese government published a software procurement list last week that excluded foreign anti-virus vendors like Kaspersky Lab and Symantec Corp, which had previously sold software to Chinese agencies.

China, citing security concerns, has increasingly sought to limit the use of U.S. technology over the past year following revelations by Edward Snowden of widespread U.S. government spying.

State-run China Central Television said in a report in June that location-tracking software on Apple's iPhone could potentially lead to the disclosure of state secrets. Apple said in response that it has never allowed and will never allow governments access to its servers.

(Reporting by Gerry Shih; Editing by Ryan Woo)

China bans Apple products from government purchases: Bloomberg| Reuters

 

[Counter-Errorist]

Apple said in response that it has never allowed and will never allow governments access to its servers.

Ha! Yes, sure.

 

[cirr]

IBM next on the line：its servers in the banking sector to be replaced by Inspur products。

 

[TaiShang]

Very nice. Now let's give some breathing space for national companies to grow strong at home and go international.

If US has national interests to protect, so does China.

 

[cirr]

Very nice. Now let's give some breathing space for national companies to grow strong at home and go international.

If US has national interests to protect, so does China.

The ban equally applies to all state-owned companies and important research and education establishments。

Government employees and corporate officials will also be encouraged，or rather persuaded，to swap their iPhones for domestic smartphones。

 

[cnleio]

Expensive, to support China brand products.

 

[Jlaw]

Expensive, to support China brand products.

You have to support your own brand due to security reasons and you want to grow your domestic companies. Koreans are patriotic as they support their own brand even if it's not as good as western brand. Korean dramas support Hyundai. Overseas Koreans that I come across all drive Hyundai.

 

[vtnsx]

China should get rid of US companies altogether and develop their own products to challenge the Americans. This is an excellent move.

 

[C130]

thinking U.S companies better start preparing to move their factories out of PRC and setup shop in Vietnam,Thailand, and maybe the Philippine if they haven't already.

 

[dichoi]

including US technology to be use in China.

 

[Chinese-Dragon]

America bans our companies on national security grounds, so why are they upset when we return the favor?

And considering that America even spies on their own allies (Germany recently kicked out an American diplomat for that), we have more reason to do so than they.

 

[TaiShang]

thinking U.S companies better start preparing to move their factories out of PRC and setup shop in Vietnam,Thailand, and maybe the Philippine if they haven't already.

They will do if they find it profitable. Lower end industries are already moving down south.

 

[HunterKiller]

Excellent move from China ..
Every IT Company gives remote access of its databases to NSA/CIA etc..
Particularly Windows is a CIA funded backdoor ..

Best solution is to avoid Apple and Microsoft in Government offices as well as in other offices wherever you can ...

 

[cirr]

thinking U.S companies better start preparing to move their factories out of PRC and setup shop in Vietnam,Thailand, and maybe the Philippine if they haven't already.

Good idea。That's exactly that Chinese tech companies are asking for。

Just make sure that those made-in-Vietnam American products don't find their ways back in the Chinese market。

 

[xunzi]

thinking U.S companies better start preparing to move their factories out of PRC and setup shop in Vietnam,Thailand, and maybe the Philippine if they haven't already.

Pointless. There is no other with a supply chain like we do. And let be honest here, you guys make it very hard for our tech firm to operate in your country. Fair and square, you don't let us in? We kick you out and grow our local firm.