China had removed all 60 Cisco products on its government-use approval list by late 2014, according to a report published on 26 February 2015. The report also named Apple, Citrix and McAfee among vendors whose products were removed. It did not establish an official reason for the changes.
What the 2015 report said
Chris Burt’s article for Data Center Knowledge, originally published at The WHIR and summarizing Reuters reporting, described an analysis of a product list provided to government agencies by China’s Central Government Procurement Center. Reuters’ analysis found that Cisco had 60 products approved for government use and that all had been removed by late 2014. Apple, Citrix and McAfee products were also removed, the report said. The article did not reproduce the underlying list.
The same account said the list expanded from fewer than 3,000 products to almost 5,000 during the period covered. Those are approximate figures from the article’s account of Reuters’ analysis, not a complete count independently available in the report.
Why were the products removed?
The report did not identify an official explanation for the removals. Contemporary commentary linked the broader trend to concern about U.S. surveillance after the Snowden disclosures and to China’s stated interest in cyber-sovereignty. It also raised the possibility that procurement policy could favor domestic competitors. These were contextual interpretations, not confirmed reasons for Cisco’s removal.
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The article also cited an IDC expectation that China’s information and communications technology market would reach $465 billion in 2015. That was a forecast reported in 2015, not a verified figure for the market’s eventual size.
How the 2014 removals differ from China’s 2026 procurement action
A later Ministry of Finance notice, dated 22 June 2026, separately barred government procurement entities from buying products made by 46 designated U.S. companies. The notice took effect upon issuance and excludes U.S.-invested companies operating in China. Its attachment lists the designated companies: Ministry of Finance notice and attachment.
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- FLEXIBLE: Extensive portfolio provides ultimate flexibility from 5 to 24 ports and PoE combinations
- PERFORMANCE: Gigabit Ethernet and integrated quality-of-service (QoS) intelligence optimize delay-sensitive services and improve overall network performance.
- INNOVATIVE DESIGN: Elegant and compact design, ideal for installation outside of wiring closet such as retail stores, open plan offices, and classrooms
This 2026 measure is not the same as the product-list removals reported in 2015, and the available evidence does not establish that the two actions are connected. At a 25 June 2026 press conference, a Ministry of Commerce spokesperson said the 46-company procurement action responded to U.S. additions to its so-called Chinese military companies list. The spokesperson said: “The U.S. government’s practice of expanding the so-called ‘Chinese military companies’ has seriously harmed the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises, and China has no choice but to take countermeasures.” The ministry also invoked national security, national interests and non-proliferation obligations in discussing a separate export-restriction action announced that day; those explanations should not be applied to the 2014 removals. Ministry of Commerce press conference, 25 June 2026.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Policy actions at a glance
| Date | What was covered | Procurement scope and exception | Stated rationale |
|---|---|---|---|
| Removals completed by late 2014; reported 26 February 2015 | Approved government-use products, including Cisco products and products from Apple, Citrix and McAfee, according to the report’s account of Reuters’ analysis. | The report described removals from an approval list supplied to government agencies. A broader scope or exception was not stated in the article. | No official reason was established in the report. |
| 22 June 2026 | Products made by 46 designated U.S. companies. | Government procurement entities may not purchase the covered products; U.S.-invested companies operating in China are excluded. | On 25 June 2026, MOFCOM said the action responded to U.S. additions to its so-called Chinese military companies list. |
The 2015 account was secondary reporting and did not provide the underlying procurement list or an authoritative explanation for the earlier removals. Its findings support a description of what Reuters’ analysis reported, but not a definitive account of the policy’s motive.
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