China removes Microsoft Windows at state users ahead of plan
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The Chinese Ministry of State Security recently told some state-linked entities to uninstall customised Windows 10 software from their machines.
PHOTO: REUTERS
- China is accelerating the removal of a customised Windows 10 version from state-linked agencies to reduce reliance on US technology and address data security concerns.
- The Windows 10 variant, developed by a joint Microsoft-Chinese venture CMIT, was originally planned to be retired by 2027 but is now discontinued earlier.
- Chinese software companies' stocks rose sharply as Beijing promotes domestic operating systems and bans foreign-branded devices in sensitive sectors to boost national security.
AI generated
BEIJING – China is pulling the plug on an older version of Microsoft Corp’s Windows tailored for government agencies, taking another step toward rooting out the world’s most popular PC software in a broader effort to reduce its dependence on foreign technology.
The Chinese Ministry of State Security recently told some state-linked entities to uninstall customised Windows 10 software from their machines, people familiar with the matter said.
That moves up the schedule to discontinue the operating system by several months, they added, underscoring Beijing’s increasing discomfort with using a key US technology.
That particular version of Windows 10 is developed by C&M Information Technologies Co, according to the people, who asked not to be named discussing a politically sensitive matter.
CMIT, a joint venture between Microsoft and state-owned China Electronics Technology Group Corp, was founded in 2016 to help ensure Windows 10 is compliant with Beijing’s security requirements.
Chinese software stocks jumped, with Hunan Kylinsec Technology Co and Archermind Technology Co surging by the daily limit of 20 per cent. China National Software & Service Co climbed 10 per cent.
CMIT originally planned to retire the software in February 2027, in line with a government campaign to curb the use of foreign technology.
Still, the fresh directive to accelerate the schedule, just weeks before US President Donald Trump’s planned meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, came as a surprise to some state agency employees, the people said.
Beijing’s instruction stemmed from data security concerns, they added, without elaborating exactly what potential vulnerabilities Chinese officials are worried about.
“Microsoft is not aware of a security incident affecting this product, which continues to receive regular security updates,” a spokesperson for the US company said. “We have nothing further to share.”
China’s State Council Information Office didn’t respond to a faxed request for comment.
The request was sent to the agency in lieu of there being no publicly available contact information for the Ministry of State Security.
CMIT didn’t respond to request for comment.
China has been pushing the use of homemade technologies in sectors handling sensitive data, including military and state-owned firms.
Several Chinese companies, including Kylin Software Co and Tongxin Software Technology Co, have introduced their own versions of operating systems for computers to replace Windows.
Beijing has ordered central government agencies to swap out foreign-branded PCs, while Apple Inc’s iPhones have also been banned from at least some sensitive state-affiliated entities.
In the face of a lack of access to cutting-edge AI accelerators from Nvidia Corp, China is also leaning more on domestic champions including Huawei Technologies Coa nd Cambricon Technologies Corp.for chips essential for building emerging technologies.
CMIT’s Windows 10 product line customises the original software with some cybersecurity features developed in China, and certain native functions have also been switched off to meet national security requirements.
Microsoft officially ended support for Windows 10 in late 2025 after the launch of Windows 11.
China remains a key market for Microsoft.
The Redmond, Washington-based company has built a big business selling AI models to Chinese companies including ByteDance Ltd and Tencent Holdings Ltd.
ByteDance alone is on track to spend more than US$1 billion (S$1.28 billion) a year on Microsoft AI and cloud services, Bloomberg News has reported. BLOOMBERG
