Fears for the country’s national security due to data collection by foreign groups
China assured today that it does not ban its ministries from iPhone of Apple or “other phones from foreign brands” following press reports of restrictions on certain services.
The US newspaper Wall Street Journal reported last week that authorities have banned some government employees from having iPhone for business use to protect against the risk of espionage.
“China has not issued any laws, regulations or directives prohibiting the purchase or use of foreign-brand phones such as the iPhone,” Chinese diplomatic spokeswoman Mao Ning told reporters. This is the first such official reaction of Beijing on this issue. These statements, however, do not rule out the possibility of oral instructions, as is sometimes the practice in China.
“But recently, we’ve actually seen a lot of media coverage of security incidents related to her phones Apple. The Chinese government attaches great importance to information and cyber security and treats domestic and foreign companies as equals,” she added. However, Mao Ning did not specify which press articles she was referring to.
Such a ban would pose a challenge for Apple, as China is its largest overseas market. Following the Wall Street Journal’s revelations last week, the California-based company’s stock fell more than $100 billion in a single session. Fears for her National security related to the collection of data by foreign groups have intensified amid a rivalry between China and the US. Since 2019, sanctions imposed by Washington have cut off Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei from global supply chains for American components and technology. The US suspects that an espionage operation is underway on behalf of Beijing, which the company denies.
Despite geopolitical tensions with the US, Apple and its products are undeniably still popular in China. Apple established itself in the country in 1993 and the Asian giant is for this brand the main production center for smart phones, computers, tablets and electronic equipment.
