China Asks Microsoft Not To Obstruct Antitrust Probe

August 4, 2014
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raided four Microsoft offices last week, and it soon emerged that the government had placed the company under an official investigation, which actually centers on alleged Microsoft violation of local unfair trade laws. And China’s State Administration for Industry and Commerce (SAIC) has today released a statement saying that the software titan should not obstruct this ongoing antitrust investigation. However, the industry regulator did acknowledge that Microsoft promised to respect Chinese law and guaranteed full cooperation with the SAIC investigation. Then why the initial statement, you may ask? As You Yunting, a senior partner at Shanghai DeBund Law Offices so vividly puts it, this is a preemptive step in the course of government’s investigation:

“”I don’t think the government is saying Microsoft has already done anything to obstruct the investigation, otherwise they would have publicized it. In China, you do everything you have to completely submit if the authorities investigate you. The government is saying, ‘We might be more lenient if you don’t resist, otherwise we’ll be tough’.”
Anyway the SAIC further added that it had questioned Microsoft Deputy General Counsel Mary Snapp earlier today in China. So things are moving hard and fast. And although we have the initial details, it might take a while for the final conclusion on this.]]>

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Microsoft

Mike Johnson is a writer for The Redmond Cloud - the most comprehensive source of news and information about Microsoft Azure and the Microsoft Cloud. He enjoys writing about Azure Security, IOT and the Blockchain.

All Comments

  • Get the pitch forks and torches, …..

    Mike Greenway August 4, 2014 9:46 am Reply
    • Haha you are spot on there my friend! 🙂 This is getting ridiculous. I wonder what the Chinese country as a whole thinks about this.

      Angela August 4, 2014 6:24 pm Reply
      • That is really hard to say, I don’t know if there would be a consensus. I wonder how much the average person trusts the government?

        Mike Greenway August 5, 2014 9:52 am Reply
  • Lol. I cannot wait for China to embarrass themselves here when they find nothing from this ludicrous raid. What a bunch of baloney this is!

    CaptainJack August 4, 2014 1:24 pm Reply
    • If they can’t find something, they will make up something. That’s how it works in China legal system. Whether you are guilty or not is well determined even before the judge enters the court.

      WillyThePooh August 4, 2014 8:49 pm Reply

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