China Hit Back: Begins to ban iPhone used in government

China has ordered central government office workers not to use iPhones for work, or bring them into the building.

The move is an escalation of the government’s policy, which has restricted the use of iPhones in government workplaces for the past decade, and is part of a broader crackdown on the use of foreign-designed technology.

Most iPhones are assembled in China, and a large portion of the phone components are also made in China.

It is unclear why the device is considered a security threat by China, other than that it is designed by a non-Chinese company.

The move is similar to the US ban on Huawei technology. It also comes as Chinese leaders increasingly urge government officials and state-owned enterprises to replace foreign technology with products they deem more “secure”.

In 2020, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said at a press conference that if WeChat was banned, Chinese people would have no reason to keep iPhones or Apple products. He cited concerns about US politicians’ excessive power to suppress non-US companies.

WeChat was banned for a period of time from January 2021. The ban was lifted in June 2021, and replaced by a measure by the US Commerce Department to assess apps that may have ties to foreign adversaries.

The Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday that the move could have a “chilling effect” on companies including Apple. The report also noted that Apple dominates the high-end iPhone market in the US, and that about 19% of its revenue comes from the US.

However, this premise seems to be exaggerated, as government spending on iPhones accounts for only a very small fraction of this 19%, and almost all iPhones sold in China are aimed at ordinary consumers, and this market seems to be still growing.