While it is about to launch the iPhone 14, the American company seeks to comply with a law enacted by Beijing which prohibits the mention “manufactured in Taiwan” or “Republic of China” on any product intended at the Chinese market.
Le Monde
Apple asked its subcontractors established in Taiwan to label their products intended for China with the mention “Made in Taiwan, China” or “Made in Taipei, China”, According to the Japanese media Nikkei Asia . The request, addressed on Friday August 5, intervenes in a context of strong tensions between China and its island neighbor, of which it has never recognized independence.
The American company thus seeks to comply with a Chinese law which prohibits the products labeled as being manufactured in the Republic of China – the official name of Taiwan – to enter Chinese territory. Beijing indeed refuses to Taiwan the use of this name since it considers the autonomous island as an integral part of its territory.
The law in question dates from 2015, but has so far not really been implemented, recalls the Bloomberg agency. According to the latter, China decided to ensure its strict application following the visit to Taiwan, on August 2, of the president of the House of Representatives of the United States, Nancy Pelosi. Companies that do not comply with the text and would continue to use on products for China the mentions “manufactured in Taiwan” or “Republic of China” – which Taipei demands precisely on all products leaving its territory – risk risk Fines, as well as immobilization, even the referral, of the property, according to Nikkei Asia.
Maintain the production channels
This Apple decision to comply with Beijing’s wishes intervenes while a cargo of elements from Taiwan and intended to join an iPhone assembly site in China has already been controlled As for its labeling on Thursday. Complying with Beijing directives would allow Apple to avoid any risk of slowing down its production chain, when the apple brand is about to launch the final phase of the production of the iPhone 14, whose presentation is expected in September, recall the guardian .
“Unfortunately, we think that Apple’s” red line “, the moment when the company will say” stop, that is enough, we can no longer collaborate with the Chinese regime and respond favorably to its requests for censorship “, is still very far “, regret Site The Register Benjamin Ismail, Director of the Apple Censorship project, associated with the Greatfire organization, which denounces Chinese censorship online.
“Is it only a question of time before Apple begins to withdraw from his appstore the applications containing the characters” 台湾/台灣 “(taiwan) without specifying” province of China “?”, Asks the project twitter account. An account which also recalls that the Cupertino firm has already taken other questionable measures towards China, such as Remove the Taiwan flag from the list of his emojis in certain areas of the globe, especially in Hongkong.
is it a question of time before @apple starts removing apps which name contains the characters “台湾/台灣” (Taiwan) Wit… https://t.co/bdqrhxidee