Chinese government invades Microsoft

The Chinese government has raided Microsoft offices in four cities in the country. An official investigation into the company has also been opened. However, it is unclear what exactly the research is about; it may be cooperation with American espionage services.

Both Microsoft and the Chinese government have confirmed the raid on Microsoft’s offices in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Chengdu, but have not specified what the investigation is focused on, according to the South China Morning Post. Microsoft has pledged to “actively cooperate with the investigation.”

The raid may have to do with espionage. At the beginning of last month, Chinese state television made accusations that Microsoft would work closely with the American secret services. For example, Microsoft would have built backdoors into its software. Two weeks earlier, the Chinese government banned the installation of Windows 8 on new government computers for “security reasons” – although the Reuters news agency reported that Windows 8 would simply use too much energy.