China raids Microsoft again as anti-trust authories continue monopoly probe

A Chinese anti-trust regulator conducted new raids on Microsoft and partner Accenture, the agency said on its website on Wednesday, after saying last week Microsoft is under investigation for anti-trust violations.

The State Administration for Industry and Commerce (SAIC) raided offices in Beijing, Liaoning, Fujian and Hubei, it said. The SAIC also raided IT consultancy Accenture, whom Microsoft outsources financial work to, at Accenture’s Dalian offices.

Microsoft Deputy General Counsel Mary Snapp was in Beijing to meet with the SAIC on Monday.

In recent weeks, China has stepped up probes of what it deems to be monopolistic businesses under the country’s anti-monopoly law. Qualcomm is another major tech company which is in the regulatory authority’s crosshairs, while auto companies such as Audi, and Chrysler have also come under the scanner.

The inquiry comes after China in May banned the use of Microsoft’s Windows 8 operating system on all new government computers, amid reports alleging security concerns. Following that, Chinese state media reported that the iPhone is a national security threat as it sends all user data to Apple servers in the US.

The US and China have been squaring off over a number of claimed infringements by the other party. US has accused China of using military to run hacking and spying programmes, while earlier Chinese telecom equipment providers Huawei and ZTE had been under probe for alleged backdoors for Chinese spying in their equipment.

With inputs from Reuters