China Bans Using Intel And AMD Chips In Government Computers: Report (Photo by Slejven Djurakovic on Unsplash)

Amid the intensifying tech war between China and the United States, China has reportedly launched new guidelines to phase out US-made microprocessors from being used in the Chinese government”s personal computers and servers. The Financial Times reported on Sunday that the Chinese government is banning Intel and AMD chips.

As per the report, the procurement guidance is also trying to sideline Microsoft’s Windows operating system and foreign-made database software. China is making this crucial move as part of reducing its dependency on foreign technology with homegrown solutions. Notably, this decision also comes amid the rising tensions between the Joe Biden-led United States administration and China.

The US government had earlier imposed sanctions on several Chinese companies, citing national security. On March 6, Bloomberg reported that the US is urging certain countries, including Germany, South Korea, Netherlands and Japan, to further tighten curbs on China”s access to semiconductor technology. In 2022, the United States introduced a set of prohibitions on the export of semiconductor chips and other high-tech equipment to China.

As per the Financial Times report, the Chinese administration has informed various government agencies above the township level to meet criteria requiring “safe and reliable” processors and operating systems when making purchases. The China Information Technology Security Evaluation Center has also released a list of “safe and reliable” processors and operating systems. It is worth mentioning that all the processors and operating systems included in this list are from Chinese companies.

The administration has also reportedly told state-owned enterprises to complete a technology transition to domestic providers by 2027. At the same time, Intel and AMD have not made any official statements on this matter.