China Orders Govt Agencies Not to Use iPhone for Work – News18

China has ordered officials at central government agencies to not use Apple’s iPhones and other foreign-branded devices for work or bring them into the office, according to the Wall Street Journal.

This ban, in Apple’s biggest markets, comes ahead of a mega event next week that analysts believe will be about launching a new line of iPhones, and could cause concern among foreign companies operating in the country.

Citing people familiar with the matter, the US newspaper said the orders were given by superiors to their staff in recent weeks and it wasn’t clear how widely the orders were being distributed.

The WSJ report did not name other phone makers besides Apple (AAPL.O). Apple and China’s State Council Information Office, which handles media queries on behalf of the Chinese government, did not immediately respond to Reuters’ requests for comment.

According to Reuters, China, under the Xi Jinping government, has grown more concerned over data security and has rolled out new laws and compliance requirements for companies.

Earlier this year, China urged big state-owned enterprises to play a key role in its drive to attain self-reliance in technology, raising the stakes in the race amid rifts with the United States.

The tensions between the two largest economies in the world have been high as the Biden administration works with allies to block China’s access to vital equipment needed to keep its chip industry competitive.

During a visit to China last week, US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said US companies had complained to her that China had become “uninvestible”, pointing to fines, raids and other actions that have made it risky to do business.

(With agency inputs)