China’s prohibition on government personnel using iPhones, claiming national security concerns, has alarmed U.S. politicians, who believe it might be a precursor to future hostilities between the two nations.
Apple is a major player in the Chinese market, and the ban could hurt the company’s sales in the country. The company’s shares fell 2.9% after the news of the ban broke.
The ban is the latest sign of the growing tensions between the United States and China. The two countries have been locked in a trade war for more than a year, and the ban on iPhones could be seen as a further escalation of that conflict.
U.S. lawmakers have been critical of China’s ban on iPhones. Senator Mark Warner, the chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said that the ban was “unacceptable” and that it “threatens to undermine the global economy.”
The Chinese government has not commented on the ban, but it has previously said that it is committed to protecting its national security.
The sources for this piece include an article in Reuters.