China has issued new guidelines stipulating that software provided by companies such as Microsoft Corp. will be replaced, as reported by Financial Times. Additionally, China is imposing restrictions on the use of US-made microprocessors and servers in government computers. The guidelines aim to replace chips from US firms like Intel Corp. and Advanced Micro Devices Inc. with domestic alternatives, according to the report citing guidelines unveiled by the finance ministry and the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) on December 26 last year.
The report highlights that although there is some flexibility for government agencies and state-owned enterprises to purchase computers powered by foreign processors and servers, two unnamed procurement officials informed the newspaper. However, both Microsoft and Intel declined to comment on the report, and AMD has not responded to a request for comment.
China’s move to push out foreign technology from its government systems aligns with its efforts over the past years. In 2022, Beijing mandated central government agencies and state-backed corporations to replace foreign-branded personal computers with domestic alternatives within a two-year timeframe. This decision follows reports that the US is considering blacklisting several Chinese semiconductor firms associated with Huawei Technologies Co., potentially escalating tensions in Washington’s efforts to restrict Beijing’s AI and semiconductor ambitions. Source – www.hindustantimes.com
