


US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said last week that the administration of President Joe Biden was seeking more information about the “character and composition” of the smartphone to determine if the law had been circumvented. The release of the Mate 60 Pro, which is powered by the advanced Kirin 9000s processor, has raised questions about the effectiveness of these export controls. Washington has also banned US companies from doing business with numerous Chinese tech firms, including Huawei, and restricted US chipmakers from selling China advanced technology. US federal agencies and many state governments have already banned the app on government-issued phones.

In May, Montana became the first US state to ban Chinese-owned TikTok over data privacy concerns, and a number of other states are mulling similar moves. “More recent technological developments may have given the government some confidence to proceed with these measures,” he said.Ĭhina and the US view each other’s tech companies as potential security risks that could provide backdoor access to sensitive data and government infrastructure. “Limiting personal use of iPhones, which could access local networks and collect environmental data, aligns with the government’s commitment to bolster cybersecurity,” Chim Lee, China analyst with the Economist Intelligence Unit, told Al Jazeera.Ĭhina has been trying since at least 2016 to close cybersecurity loopholes with new laws and regulations but technological limitations had hampered its efforts until recently, Lee said.
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The United States and China have taken steps to reduce their economic reliance on each other as the two sides increasingly prioritise alleged national security concerns over investment and trade.īeijing has ramped up efforts to lessen its dependence on foreign technology and prop up domestic companies, including Shenzhen-based Huawei, whose new $1,200 Mate 60 Pro smartphone has been described by tech analysts as giving the iPhone a run for its money.īank of America has noted the “interesting” timing of the iPhone ban given the recent launch of the Mate 60 Pro. While bad news for Apple and a potential omen for Western tech companies generally, the bans have not come as a total surprise to China watchers. On Friday, Bloomberg reported that the ban also covered government-backed agencies and state companies and would be expanded to a wide range of government-controlled organisations.Ĭhina’s moves, which have not been announced on official channels, are the latest salvo in the ongoing trade and tech war between Washington and Beijing. The Wall Street Journal on Thursday reported that Beijing had issued a directive barring central government officials from using the Apple devices. China is reportedly barring government officials and employees at state-owned enterprises from using iPhones.
