Friday, December 19, 2014

China ban foreign technology from the government

China government is planning to purge most foreign technologies from its official sectors.


According to the media, China is to replace Microsoft Windows to NeoKylin, a domestic operating system, in bank computers. Intel, IBM, and Cisco are also subject to be exiled.

Bloomberg: China is Planning to Purge Foreign Technology and Replace With Homegrown Suppliers

This policy reminds me the Edo era in Japan, in which Japanese government was purging foreigners and rejecting almost all imports. The purpose was to protect Japanese order and culture mainly from Christian ideology. It led to the serious delay of industrial development, although Japanese culture remained unique.

Of course, Chinese policy is not so extreme than national isolation. Its concern seems risk for the leak of national secrets. After Edward Snowden revealed the spying activity of NAS in the US, most countries became unease to use foreign technologies. Microsoft and some famous companies has been proven to be offering the customer data to the US government. Worry of China is rational to some extent.

My past entry: Mr. Snowden, a spy or other?

On the other hand, there is cases that spywares are included in Chinese software. Baidu IME, a popular input method editor was suspected to send the information regarding the content the user inputs in detail. Japan government ordered to uninstall Baidu IME from all of the official computers.

Ultimate protection from cyber risks is absolute isolation. However, it causes serious adversity. Compatibility to private sectors will be hindered in China government. International communication will also be difficult. Foreign officers will be annoyed to be accustomed to the new system. As a result, productivity will be sacrificed considerably.

By the way, I wonder whether this policy will profit domestic companies. In short term, they will be rewarded with delivering products to the government. But in longstanding ways, it perhaps get rid of competitiveness from them.

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