US Tech Firms Are Bound by China’s Rising Techno-Nationalism

As Beijing heightens its distrust of U.S. technology products, a stronger shift away from American tech seems imminent. On October 19, the Ministry of State Security and the Internet Emergency Center of China disclosed details of a cyberattack they blame on the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA).

The NSA allegedly targeted China’s National Time Service Center, a crucial facility that manages the country’s single time zone and delivers precise timing services essential for sectors like national defense. The incident report, spanning 28 pages, detailed 42 methods the NSA supposedly employed since March 2022.

One detail caught the attention of many Chinese: the cyberattack was only feasible because of a foreign phone brand. While Beijing avoided explicit accusations in the report, online viewers strongly believed the compromised phones were from Apple.

According to Counterpoint research, Apple is the only foreign smartphone maker with a significant share of the Chinese market, holding nearly one-sixth of total phone sales. The remainder is evenly divided among Chinese brands such as Huawei and Xiaomi.

“The cyberattack was only made possible by a foreign phone brand.”

“Apple is the only foreign smartphone company to hold significant market share in China.”

Author’s summary: Growing techno-nationalism in China is pressuring U.S. tech firms, with accusations linking Apple devices to cyber vulnerabilities exploited in state-level cyberattacks.

The Diplomat – Asia-Pacific Current Affairs Magazine — 2025-11-05

US Tech Firms Are Bound by China’s Rising Techno-Nationalism

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