Report: China Blocks Use of Intel and AMD Chips in Government Computers

A man walks past the Phoenix Center after its lights are turned off for the Earth Hour environmental campaign in Beijing on March 23, 2024. (Photo by Jade GAO / AFP)
A man walks past the Phoenix Center after its lights are turned off for the Earth Hour environmental campaign in Beijing on March 23, 2024. (Photo by Jade GAO / AFP)
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Report: China Blocks Use of Intel and AMD Chips in Government Computers

A man walks past the Phoenix Center after its lights are turned off for the Earth Hour environmental campaign in Beijing on March 23, 2024. (Photo by Jade GAO / AFP)
A man walks past the Phoenix Center after its lights are turned off for the Earth Hour environmental campaign in Beijing on March 23, 2024. (Photo by Jade GAO / AFP)

China has introduced guidelines to phase out US microprocessors from Intel and AMD from government personal computers and servers, the Financial Times reported on Sunday.
The procurement guidance also seeks to sideline Microsoft's Windows operating system and foreign-made database software in favor of domestic options, the report said.
According to the FT report, Chinese officials have begun following the guidelines, which were unveiled in December.
They order government agencies above the township level to include criteria requiring "safe and reliable" processors and operating systems when making purchases, the newspaper said.
Intel and AMD did not immediately respond to Reuters request for comment.
The US has been aiming to boost domestic semiconductor output and reduce reliance on China and Taiwan with the Biden administration's 2022 CHIPS and Science Act.
It is designed to bolster US semiconductors and contains financial aid for domestic production with subsidies for production of advanced chips.



$266 Mln Deal Boosts Liquidity in Saudi Housing Market

One of the projects under the Sakani program in Saudi Arabia (Asharq Al-Awsat)
One of the projects under the Sakani program in Saudi Arabia (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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$266 Mln Deal Boosts Liquidity in Saudi Housing Market

One of the projects under the Sakani program in Saudi Arabia (Asharq Al-Awsat)
One of the projects under the Sakani program in Saudi Arabia (Asharq Al-Awsat)

The Saudi Real Estate Refinance Company (SRC), owned by the Public Investment Fund, has signed a SAR 1 billion ($266.7 million) agreement with Bidaya Finance to buy a mortgage portfolio.
The deal is the largest of its kind, aimed at injecting liquidity into Saudi Arabia’s housing market.
The agreement, signed on Sunday, was attended by Housing Minister Majed Al-Hogail, who also chairs SRC, and Abdulaziz Al-Omair, Chairman of Bidaya Finance.
This move supports SRC’s efforts to grow the mortgage market and expand refinancing options, aligning with Vision 2030’s goal of increasing homeownership among Saudi citizens.
SRC CEO Majeed Al Abduljabbar said the deal will boost liquidity and stabilize the housing finance market, helping more Saudis own homes. He added that it builds on SRC’s plan to partner with key lenders and develop a strong secondary mortgage market.
“This agreement is a pivotal step toward achieving the strategic objectives of the Housing Program by increasing homeownership among citizens,” Abduljabbar noted.
“It also aligns with our strategy to forge strategic partnerships with leading financing institutions, fostering the development of an active secondary market for residential mortgages,” he added.
Bidaya Finance CEO Mahmoud Dahduli called the agreement a step forward in offering innovative financing solutions, enabling more citizens to achieve their housing goals and contributing to Vision 2030’s housing targets.
“This strategic collaboration with SRC reinforces our shared role in offering reliable, innovative financing solutions that empower citizens to realize their housing aspirations, aligning with the Housing Program’s goal of increasing homeownership,” Dahduli said.
Established in 2017 by the Public Investment Fund, SRC aims to make home financing more accessible by providing liquidity to lenders and supporting Saudi Arabia’s housing sector under the national transformation plan, Vision 2030.