China Denies Banning iPhones, but Cites Unspecified Security Concerns

China on Wednesday made its first public feedback about reviews that the federal government is proscribing using Apple’s iPhones by some state workers, saying that Beijing had famous what it claimed have been safety considerations in regards to the system.

The feedback by Mao Ning, a spokeswoman for the International Ministry, have been brief on particulars. She pointed to what she described as “media reviews” about safety flaws within the iPhone, with out elaborating.

She additionally mentioned China had not revealed “any legislation, regulation or coverage doc” banning the acquisition or use of international cellphones, together with these made by Apple.

The feedback come after some workers of presidency companies have mentioned they’ve had been informed to not use iPhones for work. Notices issued to authorities workers and state-owned companies, calling for utilization of home manufacturers of cellphones, have additionally been circulating on-line. China’s often strict web censors have but to delete claims in regards to the restrictions.

The corporate’s inventory value initially fell following the reviews, which had instructed that Apple may lose floor in China, the world’s largest smartphone market.

Calling for curbs on using international know-how by authorities workers isn’t new. China has discouraged officers from adopting international cellphones for at the very least a decade and informed authorities companies to switch American laptop servers and different units with home ones.

The USA has additionally positioned restrictions on China’s telecommunications large, Huawei, and issued controls on exports of superior U.S. semiconductor know-how to China. Some U.S. states have moved to limit using TikTok, the social media app, by authorities workers.

Nonetheless, any main issues for Apple in China would sign an escalation within the tensions between Beijing and Washington. The American know-how large counts on China for roughly 20 p.c of its income and far of its manufacturing, which helps tons of of 1000’s of native jobs.

Smartphones symbolize the most recent salvo within the U.S.-China tech struggle after the launch final week of Huawei’s Mate 60 Professional. Chinese language nationalists celebrated the cellphone’s superior options as an indication that China had developed its personal chips, however the system is now the goal of a U.S. evaluate into whether or not it violates the embargo on U.S. semiconductor know-how imposed by the Biden administration.

Apple has not mentioned something publicly in regards to the latest reviews. At an occasion in California on Tuesday, the corporate unveiled the iPhone 15, its latest mannequin.

Olivia Wang contributed reporting.