Tag Archives: security

INTERNET: Grindr Case Bodes Poorly for China Tech in US

Bottom line: The US decision to force a sale of gay dating app Grindr by its Chinese owner reflects a new environment where Washington is almost certain to veto China purchases of local firms with access to sensitive user information.

US forces sale of gay dating app Grindr by Chinese owner

A new report on the unhinging of a Chinese purchase of US gay dating app Grindr is shedding some interesting light on how Washington sees such deals, and offers insight into how far Chinese tech firms might be allowed into the country going forward. The picture isn’t exactly too encouraging, though perhaps some might over-interpret things in light of all the recent trade tensions.

The case also sheds some light on the near-hysteria that seems to be growing daily in the US over telecoms giant Huawei, which is rapidly shaping up as the Chinese boogeyman of the 21st century. The central theme in all of this is that Washington believes China is out to steal private information on Americans any way it can, including through the use of private Chinese companies. Read Full Post…

Shanghai Street View: Cleanup Compulsion

Shanghai steps up security for G20 Summit
Shanghai steps up security for G20 Summit

Beijing may have APEC Blue, but Shanghai is quickly developing its own brand of welcome for the upcoming G20 Summit set to take place next month in nearby Hangzhou. But in this case, it’s an obsession with security that seems to be riveting our city, though perhaps we’ll also see some pollution and traffic-easing measures as the event approaches.

For anyone new to China, the term APEC Blue came into fashion 2 years ago when Beijing hosted the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, a meeting of major world leaders that briefly put the city in the global spotlight. A similar light will shine on Hangzhou next month when leaders of the world’s largest economies gather in there for a similar meeting. Many visitors may arrive via Shanghai, which has much more international connections and therefore could also be on prominent display. Read Full Post…

IBM Gains, Losses Highlight China’s Tech Conundrum

IBM launches environmental initiative

A trio of cross-border news bits is highlighting the complexities in the China-US trade relationship, where accusations of cybersyping from both sides have raised tensions and threatened to derail business dealings in the sensitive high-tech space. All 3 news bits involve tech giant IBM (NYSE: IBM), which was one of the earliest and most active US tech firms to come to China, and thus stands to lose the most from recent tensions. Two of the headlines look relatively positive, including China’s approval of a multibillion-dollar M&A deal and IBM’s launch of a major new business initiative. The third looks more ominous, and has a top lender preparing to ditch its IBM servers in favor of homegrown products in a shift that looks highly political.

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China Targets IBM In Foreign Tech Crackdown

Beijing probes IBM servers on security

The latest reports that Beijing is pressuring Chinese banks to stop using high-end servers from computing giant IBM (NYSE: IBM) don’t come as a huge surprise, amid escalating tensions between China and the US over cyber spying. This particular development is just the latest in a series of similar moves that dates back to last year, when Beijing began quietly pressuring many big state-run firms to stop using US tech products following revelations from the Edward Snowden cyber-spying scandal. The ironic element of Beijing’s anti-foreign tech campaign is that it could actually make the nation’s technology networks and systems even more vulnerable to spying, since most domestic products are far less sophisticated than their foreign counterparts. Read Full Post…

New Beijing Clampdowns On Foreign Tech, Drugs

Foreign IT products come under scrutiny

Two news threads that started with relatively isolated moves are showing signs of becoming trends, with word that Beijing is taking new actions against overseas tech and drug firms. In the former case, media are reporting that China is preparing to roll out new security checks for all foreign IT products, in a move that looks aimed at the computing and telecoms sectors. The latter case has media reporting that investigators have visited the offices of Swiss drug giant Roche (Switzerland: ROG), which could auger more formal moves against the company for corrupt business practices. Read Full Post…

Shanghai Street View: Civic Insecurity

CICA comes to Shanghai

Shanghai doesn’t get the chance to host many global events, so it’s understandable that city officials are quite excited about a major upcoming conference that will see attendance by the likes of President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin. But that said, the massive security drive now underway is getting a bit out of control, literally reaching new heights with word that kite flying will be banned as part of the safety effort during the event. Read Full Post…

China Change: If I Could Change China

My 3 birthday wishes

My 50th birthday is just 2 weeks away, so I thought I would give myself an early gift by making a few wishes for some of the things I would change about daily life in China if I could. When I first came to this country for the first time in 1986, I had no idea I would someday spend my 50th birthday here 28 years later.

Of course the China of today is completely different from the place I first visited all those years ago. But the point of my birthday wish list wasn’t to talk about all the changes from the last quarter century, but rather propose a few small ideas that could improve life for everyone. Read Full Post…

Xiaomi Eyes Emerging Markets, Qihoo Targets US

Xiaomi, Qihoo in new global moves

Two of China’s fastest-growing tech firms are stepping up their overseas expansion, with word that smartphone sensation Xiaomi is planning a major acceleration of its drive into emerging markets, as security software maker Qihoo 360 (NYSE: QIHU) eyes the US. The Xiaomi move looks like a smart one by avoiding developed markets for now, though the rapid speed of the expansion could strain the company’s resources. Meantime, the Qihoo move looks mostly like hype, in a bid to prop up its rapidly deflating share price. I also seriously question Qihoo’s decision to target such a competitive market like the US for its first move outside China. Read Full Post…

Huawei Hangs Up On US Gear Market

Huawei bows from US for now

Huawei founder Ren Zhengfei is not the world’s most talkative man, so when he says something in a rare media interview it’s worth taking notice. In this case Ren has personally stated that Huawei is temporarily halting its efforts to sell its telecoms equipment in the US, providing the final word on a controversial topic that has made headlines for much of the past year. But of course nothing is ever final, and a top US-based Huawei spokesman has quickly added that the company is ready to enter the US if and when Washington ever relaxes its informal ban on the company’s networking equipment. Read Full Post…