China orders government workers to stop using iPhones amid heightened tensions with US
- Ministries with portfolios focused on investment, trade and international affairs received orders on the phone ban last month, sources say
- Measures are believed to be aimed at eliminating perceived national security risks from telecoms devices made by a US company
A handful of Chinese ministries have told employees to stop using Apple’s iPhones at work, citing national security risks amid heightened geopolitical tensions with the United States, according to several people familiar with the matter.
The orders were handed down in August to employees at ministries whose portfolios are focused on investment, trade and international affairs, according to five separate sources with knowledge of the situation.
The measures were understood to be aimed at eliminating perceived national security risks from using telecommunication devices made by a US company, sources said.
A similar ban is believed to have been in place for years for some government bodies, but the latest order has expanded that ban.
Employees in those ministries have until the end of this month to switch to other phone brands for work use, a source said.