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Microsoft has asked at least 100 employees in China to consider transferring to other countries, according to Chinese state media reports.
The report comes amid worsening relations between China and the United States over technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and clean energy.
microsoft State newspaper The Paper reported on Wednesday, citing unnamed sources, that employees primarily involved in cloud computing had recently been offered opportunities to work in the United States, Australia and Ireland, among others.
“Providing internal opportunities is a regular part of managing our global business. As part of this process, we have shared optional internal mobility opportunities with some of our employees,” Microsoft said. a spokesperson told CNN on Thursday. He did not say how many workers had received offers.
The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday that Microsoft has asked as many as 800 employees, mostly Chinese engineers working on cloud computing and AI, to consider relocating. Citing anonymous sources, the magazine reported last year that the Biden administration was preparing to restrict Chinese companies’ access to U.S. cloud services.
The company entered China in 1992 and for decades has looked to Microsoft Research Lab Asia, a prestigious research institute based in Beijing, to build influence.
“Everyone is confused,” one employee told the newspaper, as affected staff have been given less than a month to make a decision.
Chinese state-run economic media Yicai reported that more than 100 employees were affected. He added that people have the option not to travel.
A report is coming The same week, President Joe Biden announced tariffs on $18 billion worth of Chinese-made electric vehicles and a range of other products. Biden said he was trying to stop unfair competition from China that was destroying American industries.
The technology war between the two economic powers has intensified in recent years. In October, the Biden administration restricted the types of semiconductors that U.S. companies can sell to China.
In recent months, the United States has also asked allies in Europe and Asia to restrict sales of advanced chip-making equipment to China.
The Chinese government responded by imposing its own restrictions on exports of germanium and gallium, two elements essential to semiconductor manufacturing.
