Washington, Sept 8: White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said he does not intend to consult with Chinese officials about reports China plans to ban the use of iPhones among government officials.
“I don’t have plans to have a near term conversation with the PRC [People’s Republic of China] on this, and we’ve only seen the report, so we’ll see how things play out in China,” Sullivan said on Thursday.
The Wall Street Journal reported earlier in the day that China plans to broaden a ban on the use of iPhones to government-backed agencies and state companies.
The order also prohibits officials from bringing these devices to the office. Staff were informed of the new policy in workplace chat groups or meetings in recent weeks. Similar instructions were given to employees at some central government regulators, the report said.
The campaign aims to cut the country’s reliance on overseas technology and boost cybersecurity. The move also mirrors similar bans taken in the United States against China’s telecom giant Huawei Technologies and video-sharing app TikTok, according to the report.
(UNI)