The Chinese government has banned government employees from using Apple iPhones for their work, writes the American newspaper The Wall Street Journal. The ban would also apply to other smartphones from non-Chinese brands.
Civil servants were reportedly informed about the ban by their managers in recent weeks. It is not clear how far the restrictions extend.
Previously, certain government officials in Beijing had also been restricted from using the iPhone. Now it would be a broader ban on the use of the telephone.
The ban on iPhones for civil servants may be retaliation for similar restrictions in the United States on the use of smartphones from China’s Huawei and social media platform TikTok, which has a Chinese parent company.
China is one of Apple’s largest markets, generating almost a fifth of its revenue. Apple also employs thousands of workers in China together with its suppliers. Apple shares have fallen about 6 percent since the news broke.
The measure comes amid rising tensions with the United States and other Western countries. America is increasingly trying to restrict the Asian country from the most advanced chip technology, for fear of espionage.
The Dutch chip machine manufacturer ASML is also affected by this. There are strict export restrictions on the chip machines. China, in turn, has been trying to become less dependent on Western technology for years.
- US bans sales of equipment from Huawei and four other Chinese companies
- Chinese Huawei wants to ‘reinvent itself’ after heavy sanctions
- Huawei’s future at stake: the company will no longer receive advanced chips
