KEY HIGHLIGHTS
- Chinese agencies and state-backed companies discourage staff from using foreign devices, including Apple iPhones.
- China aims to reduce reliance on foreign technologies, pushing for the adoption of local software and semiconductor chips.
- Multiple state firms and government departments in at least eight provinces instruct employees to use domestic brands.
- Apple, when approached for comment, has not responded to Reuters’ request.
- In December, smaller firms in provinces like Zhejiang, Shandong, Liaoning, and Hebei issue directives against using foreign devices.
- This move follows a trend, with previous reports indicating staff in ministries and government bodies were also told not to use iPhones at work.
Increased Restrictions on iPhone and Foreign Devices in Chinese Workplaces
Chinese government agencies and state-supported companies are taking steps to limit the use of Apple iPhones and other foreign devices among their employees, according to a report by Bloomberg News on Friday.
The move is part of China’s longstanding efforts to reduce dependence on foreign technologies. Authorities have been encouraging state-affiliated entities, including banks, to switch to local software and promoting the development of domestic semiconductor chip manufacturing for over a decade.
In the past month or two, several state-owned firms and government departments in at least eight provinces have instructed their staff to use local brands instead, as mentioned in the Bloomberg News report. This includes smaller companies and agencies in lower-tier cities like Zhejiang, Shandong, Liaoning, and central Hebei, where the world’s largest iPhone factory is located.
Apple has not yet responded to Reuters’ request for comment on the matter.
The initiative to restrict the use of foreign devices extends beyond major cities, reaching smaller firms and government bodies in lower-tier cities. In December, verbal directives were reportedly issued in provinces such as Zhejiang, Shandong, Liaoning, and central Hebei, home to the significant iPhone manufacturing facility.
This move aligns with a previous Reuters report from September, which stated that employees in at least three ministries and government bodies were instructed not to use iPhones while at work. The broader trend indicates a continued push by the Chinese government to bolster the use of domestic products and reduce reliance on foreign technologies.
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