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 Microsoft
says government officials make sudden visits to China offices
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[July 28, 2014]
BEIJING (Reuters) - Chinese
government officials have made sudden visits to Microsoft Corp
offices in China, a spokeswoman for the company said on Monday, but
declined to give any reason for the inspections. |
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 China's State Administration for Industry & Commerce, which Chinese
media reported had made the visits to Microsoft offices in Beijing,
Shanghai, Guangzhou and Chengdu, declined to give comment outside of
working hours.
Microsoft has been a focus of anti-U.S. technology sentiment in
China since U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) contractor Edward
Snowden revealed widespread spying programs, including PRISM, which
used U.S. company's technology for cyber espionage.
In an e-mailed statement, the Microsoft spokeswoman said: "We aim to
build products that deliver the features, security and reliability
customers expect and we're happy to answer the government's
questions," but declined to give any further information.
The world's largest software company has had a rocky time in China,
including a call by state media for "severe punishment" against
American tech firms for helping the U.S government to steal secrets
and monitor China.
Earlier this month, activists said Microsoft's OneDrive cloud
storage service was being disrupted in China.
In May, central government offices were banned from installing
Windows 8, Microsoft's latest operating system, on new computers.
This ban appears to not have been lifted, as multiple procurement
notices since then have not allowed Windows 8.
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Nevertheless, the company has pushed forward with plans to release
its Xbox One gaming console in China in September, forming
distribution ties with wireless carrier China Telecom Corp and
e-commerce company JD.com Inc.
(Reporting by Paul Carsten; Editing by Matt Driskill and David
Holmes)
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