Microsoft seeks closer ties with Chinese state-owned enterprises
Despite anti-monopoly investigation, tech firm continues push for government-backed products
Software giant Microsoft is seeking deeper collaboration with the mainland government as the authorities continue an anti-monopoly investigation into the company.
“Going forward, we want to do everything that we reasonably can to have a portfolio [of products] which address the requirements of this country,” Microsoft greater China chairman and chief executive Ralph Haupter told the South China Morning Post.
“We’ve been here for more than 20 years, and we want to be a partner.”
Haupter said Microsoft was pursuing major initiatives expected to deliver advanced, government-endorsed products for both public and private sector information-technology projects on the mainland.
That would mark a big turnaround for the United States-based company, which remains the target of an anti-monopoly probe by the State Administration for Industry and Commerce (SAIC).
Mainland media reported on Friday that the SAIC was stepping up its investigation of Microsoft for allegedly violating the country’s anti-monopoly law, based on analyses of four terabytes of digital data seized from the company’s various offices. A terabyte is equivalent to 1,000 gigabytes.