US Tech Giants Increasingly Partner With Military-Connected Chinese Companies

theodp writes: The New York Times reports that analysts and officials in the American military community are increasingly examining a recent trend among U.S. tech companies of forming new partnerships with Chinese firms that have ties to the Chinese military. Critics are concerned that the growing number of such deals could inadvertently improve the fundamental technology capabilities of the Chinese military — or worse, harm United States national security. "One Chinese technology company receives crucial technical guidance from a former People's Liberation Army rear admiral," notes the Times. "Another company developed the electronics on China's first atomic bomb. A third sells technology to China's air-to-air missile research academy. Their ties to the Chinese military run deep, and they all have something else in common: Each Chinese company counts one of America's tech giants — IBM, Cisco Systems or Microsoft — as a partner." A blurring of the lines among many companies that supply military and commercial technology makes it difficult to know what cooperation might result in technology ultimately being used by China's military. "The Chinese companies are required to do the best for their government. American companies say they are only answerable to their shareholders," said James McGregor of the consulting firm Apco Worldwide. "So who is looking out for the United States?"

Comments

Multinationals have no country

[Anonymous Coward]

Multinationals like IBM and Oracle are only "American" when they are bidding on Government contracts.

Re: Multinationals have no country

[ShanghaiBill]

Unfortunately it's about as likely as solving global warming by switching power generation to clean abundant fairy dust.

Why is it unlikely? There are almost no significant disagreements between China and America. There is a dispute over some uninhabited rocks that are claimed by both China and Japan. There is also a dispute between China and the Philippines over Scarborough Shoal, which is also uninhabited. Since we have mutual defense treaties with both Japan and the Philippines, these disputes involve us. But that's it: a handful of rocks.

China has territorial disputes with India, Vietnam, Indonesia, etc. But none of those countries are American allies, so it isn't our problem.

Taiwan, Tibet, Xinjiang, etc. are also not in dispute. America recognizes them all as part of China.

China violates the rights of Chinese citizens, but that is not something that we can control, or even significantly influence. Besides, they are no worse than many other countries that are our allies.

So why is it inevitable that America and China be adversaries? I think the main reason is that Russia is not longer a big threat, and we need a boogey man to justify the MIC. Since China has it's own MIC to appease, this mutual scare mongering works out well for everyone.

Because what could possibly go wrong?

[gestalt_n_pepper]

Aside from making the USA completely dependent on Chinese hardware, and giving away every single military secret or giving the Chinese the power to put in electronic backdoors in everything so as to neutralize any digital device depending on radio...

But corporations, and those who run them have no "country" other than money, and that country keeps them comfortable anywhere. They don't even care who wins the wars, as long at the profits keep rolling in.

Nothing new

[Beeftopia]

I remember back in the 90s, when Loral sold US missile and space technology to the Chinese, after spending six to seven figures on key political figures and receiving waivers.

Donors want favors, politicians want money, it's a symbiotic relationship (politicians shake down donors, donors view it as an investment/protection money) which has become more and more overt over the years. It undermines the rule of law of course, and leads to corruption, but as long as politicians keep getting re-elected and donors keep getting what they want, the system will continue.