FX.co ★ China books Apple

China’s authorities have launched a campaign to discredit Apple Inc. China’s officials and mass media charge the corporation with avarice and underfinance of Chinese assemble facilities. What is more, Apple is a strong rival for such local companies as Lenovo, Huawei and ZTE.
Apple was first attacked on March 15, on World Consumer Rights Day, when the Chinese TV channel CCTV was broadcasting a video blaming Apple for contempt for Chinese customers. Apple was said to offer them scarce technical support, favouring Western clients. Moreover, as it was revealed later, the Chinese state broadcaster paid celebrities for negative posts about Apple in social networks like Weibo.
Andrey Akopyan, a managing partner at Caderus, is sure the anti-Apple campaign was initiated and coordinated at the level of top officials as even established mass media was involved in it. He also pointed out a strong emotional appeal of the campaign agitating a massive response.
According to analysts, there are several possible reasons why the Chinese authorities ventured this measure. It may well be a bill signed by Barack Obama on March 26 laying down the rules of government spending. In particular, it forbids purchasing equipment produced by Chinese companies. As a result, American mobile service provider Sprint Nextel and its partner from Japan Softbank stopped obtaining equipment made by Huawei. Furthermore, the U.S. House Intelligence Committee reported that Chinese telecoms firms Huawei and ZTE pose “threat to security in the USA”.
In addition, the Chinese authorities accuse Apple of underfunding its Chinese factories while using China as a “sweatshop” and an outlet.
It is not the first time the People’s Republic of China has taken shots at foreign manufacturers. Pressed by similar campaigns, German Volkswagen and Daimler put forward a number of concessions for China. Apple is not going to do anything like that. The only retaliation that came from Apple was adding a Chinese version of Hardware Warranties to the official website.