Microsoft is reportedly asking its hundreds of employees in China to: Consider moving abroad As tensions between the US and China increase.
About 700 to 800 employees, most of them Chinese, who work in cloud computing and artificial intelligence, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing anonymous people familiar with the matter. He has reportedly been offered transfers to other countries including the United States, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. Case. The proposal was reportedly made earlier this week, with employees also having the option to remain in China, which they must decide on by June.
Employees were told the move would accelerate Microsoft's cloud computing and AI efforts around the world, the magazine reported. Analysts told the Journal that China's AI efforts will be hurt by the relocation of Microsoft employees overseas.
A Microsoft spokesperson shared with the Journal the proposed options for relocating employees and confirmed that the company remains committed to China and the broader region. Microsoft did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Earlier this week, the Biden administration announced: New tariffs on $18 billion worth of imports from Chinainclude Electric car And semiconductors. The new tariff hikes are aimed at “protecting American workers and businesses” and addressing “China's unfair trade practices,” including “flooding world markets with artificially low-cost exports” in strategic areas. The purpose is to “counter.” The US is already investing, according to the White House. The United States will increase tariffs on semiconductors from 25% to 50% by 2025, and this year will raise tariffs based on Section 301 of the U.S. Electric Vehicle Act from 25% to 100%.
meanwhile, China responded China's Ministry of Commerce said it was “firmly opposed” to the tariff hikes, and that President Joe Biden “will not seek to restrain or restrain China's development” and will “not seek to sever or sever ties with China.” “This violates the commitments made by the government.” new tariffs said “It will have a serious impact on the atmosphere of bilateral cooperation,” CNN reported.
The United States Tightening regulations on export of advanced chip manufacturing Exports from U.S. companies to China are part of an effort to curb technological and military advances in China. The Biden administration has also given U.S.-based cloud computing companies, including Microsoft, License to sell advanced AI computing power to ChinaThe Journal reported.Under the Trump administration, some U.S. technology companies, including Intel, issued a license to sell to a Chinese company It is on the US trade blacklist.