SHANGHAI - Chinese authorities have questioned staff at Bain & Company’s Shanghai office, the United States consultancy giant said on Thursday.

The Financial Times, which first reported the news on Wednesday, said that according to multiple sources, police made a surprise visit to the office two weeks ago.

Bain, which provides strategy and management consulting services worldwide, confirmed that its employees were questioned in an e-mailed statement but did not specify why.

“We are cooperating as appropriate with the Chinese authorities,” it read. “At this time, we have no further comment.”

Phones and computers were taken away, but no one was detained, FT said.

It added that the news fuelled concern among US companies operating in the country that Beijing might take retaliatory action against them for Washington’s moves against Chinese firms.

In March, US due diligence firm Mintz Group said Chinese police arrested five of its local employees and shut down its Beijing office.

Authorities later said the company was being investigated for “illegal” activities.

A few days later, China’s top cybersecurity regulator said it was investigating leading US memory chipmaker Micron Technology and would review its products over “national security concerns”. AFP