China has ordered all foreign PC hardware and operating systems to be replaced within the next three years , igniting a long-running global tech war. The country has previously hinted at plans to block foreign tech equipment, but now it appears determined to isolate itself and escape the influence of the Western tech sector.
According to the Financial Times, this order was discussed by the Chinese government a few months ago. China's goal is not to block American and European software and operating systems, but also hardware. The Chinese government believes that the country can replace them with its own products.
China has previously blocked some Western products, considering them to be related to specific security issues. Five years ago, the country tried to end support for Android and Windows, but its efforts were unsuccessful.
This time, however, things are different. The relationship between the US and China is particularly tense, especially in the world of technology. The US has already banned cooperation between American businesses and major Chinese companies, such as ZTE and Huawei.
Therefore, China's order to replace foreign equipment is not surprising. The initial goal is to replace 30% of computers and software by the end of 2020. The remaining 50% should be replaced by 2021 and the remaining 20% by 2022.
The three-year “3-5-2” plan is quite ambitious. Tens of millions of devices will have to be replaced, but that’s not easy. The hardware and software will have to be Chinese-made, so Intel and AMD processors are out, as are Nvidia GPUs, ARM architectures, processors , and more.
However, China has prepared and believes it can pull it off. Chinese technology companies have prepared for this eventuality. The Chinese government has made clear its desire to no longer be dependent on American companies.
Naturally, the Chinese products that are set to replace Windows and Android do not have the "maturity" and developer support that are necessary for a smooth and consequence-free replacement. Also, the exclusion of foreign products could weaken other important efforts, such as the country's rise in the field of AI.
More details regarding China's plan are not yet available. But more information will certainly be revealed.
