US spokesman behind on the news pours gas on seemingly settled China iPhone ban

iPhone 15

The US government now says that the China government iPhone ban is "aggressive and inappropriate retaliation" despite a statement 12 hours prior by China that there is in fact, no ban.

The first half of September has been a roller coaster for Apple as rumors of a potential China sales ban circulated major media outlets. These rumors didn't pan out, as iPhone 15 is indeed up for sale in the country and a statement from China denied the allegations earlier Wednesday.

In what appears to be a statement generated before news of the Chinese government refuting ban rumors, the White House chimed in on the matter, as reported by Bloomberg. The National Security Council shared that it is watching the issue with concern.

"It seems to be of a piece of the kinds of aggressive and inappropriate retaliation to US companies that we've seen from the PRC in the past," said John Kirby, the council's spokesman, referring to the People's Republic of China.

China Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning said China hasn't issued laws and regulations to ban the purchase of Apple or other foreign brands. This was in response to rumors suggesting government businesses had begun telling employees not to bring their iPhones to work — something investors feared could expand outward to the general public.

Mao Ning does note that China is concerned about security issues with Apple's products being reported by media. This statement was confusing, as there isn't any recent major breach or security concern to attach it to.

It could refer to Apple patching known exploits days after they became public knowledge. Regardless, a ban was not implemented — at least not officially.

This likely isn't the end of the saga. The United States has banned Chinese brand Huawei form sale over security concerns, so the back and forth will likely continue between the countries as Apple sits in the middle.

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8 Comments

waveparticle 1497 comments · 3 Years

About 1 year ago

Another US push for democracy! LOL One should keep in mind the National Security Council always has an ax to grind toward China. The better trustable source is the US State Department.

maltz 499 comments · 13 Years

About 1 year ago

waveparticle said:

Another US push for democracy! LOL One should keep in mind the National Security Council always has an ax to grind toward China. The better trustable source is the US State Department.

Well, the state department also strongly advises against travel to China, and many companies and universities have policies that if you must go, don't bring any electronic devices into or out of China, or if you do, wipe or even discard them upon your return. Nearly everyone is diversifying manufacturing out of China as fast as they can, even Apple. The cat's been out of the bag for a few years now (even before COVID) that China is NOT friendly to the West - everyone is pretty much on the same page about that now.

waveparticle 1497 comments · 3 Years

About 1 year ago

maltz said:

waveparticle said:

Another US push for democracy! LOL One should keep in mind the National Security Council always has an ax to grind toward China. The better trustable source is the US State Department.

Well, the state department also strongly advises against travel to China, and many companies and universities have policies that if you must go, don't bring any electronic devices into or out of China, or if you do, wipe or even discard them upon your return. Nearly everyone is diversifying manufacturing out of China as fast as they can, even Apple. The cat's been out of the bag for a few years now (even before COVID) that China is NOT friendly to the West - everyone is pretty much on the same page about that now.

This travel advisory is most likely directed toward some people involved with politics. I saw a news yesterday. The Chinese court sentenced a Chinese American living in Houston, Texas for espionage. He has been a leader of China unification. This is a surprise. You should keep in mind in US there are many Chinese who are anti-CCP. Then there are Americans who try to assist them. One example is a Republican congressman.

tmay 6455 comments · 11 Years

About 1 year ago

waveparticle said:

maltz said:

waveparticle said:

Another US push for democracy! LOL One should keep in mind the National Security Council always has an ax to grind toward China. The better trustable source is the US State Department.

Well, the state department also strongly advises against travel to China, and many companies and universities have policies that if you must go, don't bring any electronic devices into or out of China, or if you do, wipe or even discard them upon your return. Nearly everyone is diversifying manufacturing out of China as fast as they can, even Apple. The cat's been out of the bag for a few years now (even before COVID) that China is NOT friendly to the West - everyone is pretty much on the same page about that now.

This travel advisory is most likely directed toward some people involved with politics. I saw a news yesterday. The Chinese court sentenced a Chinese American living in Houston, Texas for espionage. He has been a leader of China unification. This is a surprise. You should keep in mind in US there are many Chinese who are anti-CCP. Then there are Americans who try to assist them. One example is a Republican congressman.

On the bucolic campus of Purdue University in Indiana, deep in America’s heartland and 7,000 miles from his home in China, Zhihao Kong thought he could finally express himself.
In a rush of adrenaline last year, the graduate student posted an open letter on a dissident website praising the heroism of the students killed in the Tiananmen Square massacre in 1989.
The blowback, he said, was fast and frightening. His parents called from China, crying. Officers of the Ministry of State Security, the feared civilian spy agency, had warned them about his activism in the United States.
“They told us to make you stop or we are all in trouble,” his parents said.
Then other Chinese students at Purdue began hounding him, calling him a CIA agent and threatening to report him to the embassy and the MSS.
Kong, who goes by the nickname Moody, had already accepted an invitation from an international group of dissidents to speak at a coming online commemoration of the Tiananmen massacre anniversary. Uncertain if he should go through with it, he joined in rehearsals for the event on Zoom.
Within days, MSS officers were at his family’s door again. His parents implored him: No public speaking. No rallies.
Moody realized it didn’t matter where he was. The Chinese government was still watching, and it was still in charge. Just before the anniversary event, he reluctantly decided not to give his speech.
“I think that the Zoom rehearsals were known by the Chinese Communist Party,” he said. “I think some of the Chinese students in my school are CCP members. I can tell they are not simply students. They could be spies or informants.”
https://cset.georgetown.edu/article/even-on-u-s-campuses-china-cracks-down-on-students-who-speak-out/

Remind me again how China values academic freedom.

There are stories like this in academic institutions throughout the Western world. The long arm of the CCP never sleeps.

waveparticle 1497 comments · 3 Years

About 1 year ago

tmay said:

waveparticle said:

maltz said:

waveparticle said:

Another US push for democracy! LOL One should keep in mind the National Security Council always has an ax to grind toward China. The better trustable source is the US State Department.

Well, the state department also strongly advises against travel to China, and many companies and universities have policies that if you must go, don't bring any electronic devices into or out of China, or if you do, wipe or even discard them upon your return. Nearly everyone is diversifying manufacturing out of China as fast as they can, even Apple. The cat's been out of the bag for a few years now (even before COVID) that China is NOT friendly to the West - everyone is pretty much on the same page about that now.

This travel advisory is most likely directed toward some people involved with politics. I saw a news yesterday. The Chinese court sentenced a Chinese American living in Houston, Texas for espionage. He has been a leader of China unification. This is a surprise. You should keep in mind in US there are many Chinese who are anti-CCP. Then there are Americans who try to assist them. One example is a Republican congressman.

On the bucolic campus of Purdue University in Indiana, deep in America’s heartland and 7,000 miles from his home in China, Zhihao Kong thought he could finally express himself.
In a rush of adrenaline last year, the graduate student posted an open letter on a dissident website praising the heroism of the students killed in the Tiananmen Square massacre in 1989.
The blowback, he said, was fast and frightening. His parents called from China, crying. Officers of the Ministry of State Security, the feared civilian spy agency, had warned them about his activism in the United States.
“They told us to make you stop or we are all in trouble,” his parents said.
Then other Chinese students at Purdue began hounding him, calling him a CIA agent and threatening to report him to the embassy and the MSS.
Kong, who goes by the nickname Moody, had already accepted an invitation from an international group of dissidents to speak at a coming online commemoration of the Tiananmen massacre anniversary. Uncertain if he should go through with it, he joined in rehearsals for the event on Zoom.
Within days, MSS officers were at his family’s door again. His parents implored him: No public speaking. No rallies.
Moody realized it didn’t matter where he was. The Chinese government was still watching, and it was still in charge. Just before the anniversary event, he reluctantly decided not to give his speech.
“I think that the Zoom rehearsals were known by the Chinese Communist Party,” he said. “I think some of the Chinese students in my school are CCP members. I can tell they are not simply students. They could be spies or informants.”
https://cset.georgetown.edu/article/even-on-u-s-campuses-china-cracks-down-on-students-who-speak-out/

Remind me again how China values academic freedom.

There are stories like this in academic institutions throughout the Western world. The long arm of the CCP never sleeps.

I can add another story for you. A Chinese came from Sichuan, China got a PhD in political science at UCB. He found a job working for US government. Then in Trump administration he worked for Secretary of State Pompeio. He is strongly anti-CPP. He advised for US government how to attack CCP. When the new west back to his birthplace, his tribesmen immediately removed him from their family legacy. I do not know if this is ordered by CCP or not.

BTW, since you talked about academic freedom, I knew several Chinese American in US universities who try to work with colleagues in China were prosecuted by DOJ.