China Orders State Offices to Ditch Foreign Tech Over Three Years
The Chinese government reportedly mandates the removal of all foreign hardware and software from state offices by 2022. This phased replacement plan impacts millions of devices and targets major U.S. technology companies.
The Chinese Communist Party orders all state offices to remove foreign hardware and software within three years, a move that targets major U.S. firms like Microsoft, Dell, and HP. Analysts estimate that this directive requires the replacement of 20 million to 30 million pieces of foreign equipment currently in use across government facilities.
Known as the "3-5-2" policy, the replacement schedule mandates a 30% swap in 2020, 50% in 2021, and the final 20% in 2022. Although the Chinese government does not publicly release this directive, cybersecurity firms confirm the policy through their government clients who describe the ongoing technology transition.
This strategy serves as a direct response to the ongoing U.S.-China trade war and aims to protect critical government operations from escalating tensions. By removing American technology from its state infrastructure, China mirrors U.S. actions that previously blacklisted Chinese companies like Huawei and ZTE from government use.