China Requires Microsoft’s Bing to Suspend Auto-Suggest Feature

A smartphone with the Microsoft Bing logo is displayed against the backdrop of a Chinese flag in this picture illustration taken January 24, 2019. (Reuters)
A smartphone with the Microsoft Bing logo is displayed against the backdrop of a Chinese flag in this picture illustration taken January 24, 2019. (Reuters)
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China Requires Microsoft’s Bing to Suspend Auto-Suggest Feature

A smartphone with the Microsoft Bing logo is displayed against the backdrop of a Chinese flag in this picture illustration taken January 24, 2019. (Reuters)
A smartphone with the Microsoft Bing logo is displayed against the backdrop of a Chinese flag in this picture illustration taken January 24, 2019. (Reuters)

Microsoft Corp's Bing, the only major foreign search engine available in China, said a "relevant government agency" has required it to suspend its auto-suggest function in China for seven days.

The suspension marks the second of its kind for Bing since December, and arrives amid an ongoing crackdown on technology platforms and algorithms from Beijing.

Chinese internet users first spotted the suspension on Saturday.

"Bing is a global search platform and remains committed to respecting the rule of law and users' right to access information," Bing said on its Chinese search site.

Bing did not specify a reason for the suspension. Microsoft did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Internet companies in China have been hit over the past year by a regulatory crackdown that has imposed fresh curbs on areas from content to customer privacy.

In August, Beijing's top cyber regulator published draft rules dictating how internet platforms can and cannot make use of algorithms.

A finalized version of the rules came into effect this month.



France, Germany, Sweden Urge EU Battery Sector Push to Avoid China Reliance

Deputy Prime Minister of Sweden Ebba Busch addresses the "Summit of the Future" in the General Assembly Hall at United Nations Headquarters in New York City, US, September 22, 2024. REUTERS/David Dee Delgado/File Photo
Deputy Prime Minister of Sweden Ebba Busch addresses the "Summit of the Future" in the General Assembly Hall at United Nations Headquarters in New York City, US, September 22, 2024. REUTERS/David Dee Delgado/File Photo
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France, Germany, Sweden Urge EU Battery Sector Push to Avoid China Reliance

Deputy Prime Minister of Sweden Ebba Busch addresses the "Summit of the Future" in the General Assembly Hall at United Nations Headquarters in New York City, US, September 22, 2024. REUTERS/David Dee Delgado/File Photo
Deputy Prime Minister of Sweden Ebba Busch addresses the "Summit of the Future" in the General Assembly Hall at United Nations Headquarters in New York City, US, September 22, 2024. REUTERS/David Dee Delgado/File Photo

France, Germany and Sweden called on the incoming European Commission on Thursday to ensure the future of battery production in Europe and avoid relying on China to meet its needs for the green transition.

In a paper released ahead of an EU ministers' meeting to discuss EU competitiveness on Thursday, the three EU members said European battery companies faced common challenges of scaling up in a global playing field that was not level.

The EU needs to cut red tape, speed up approval processes, create better routes to funding and markets for new companies in the sector and allocate more EU funding for the battery industry, they said.

"If we are to succeed with the green transition we need to get the European battery sector flying and taking a proper share of the market," Swedish Industry Minister Ebba Busch told reporters before the meeting in Brussels, Reuters reported.

The issue is acute for Sweden after Northvolt filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the United States last week. The Swedish government has repeatedly said it won't invest in Northvolt to save the company, which has been Europe's biggest hope for an electric vehicle battery champion.

Busch said a strong message from Brussels that European battery making had a solid future would increase the chances for Northvolt to secure new capital from other sources.

China has taken a huge lead in powering EVs, controlling 85% of global battery cell production, International Energy Agency data shows. Busch said the European Union needed to learn from its previous reliance on Russian gas and not become dependent again on an economic rival.

"The green transition might end up becoming a Chinese transition in Europe... Just look at solar cell or wind power sector, a lot of that has been taken over by third-country investment," she said.

The new European Commission, which takes over on Dec. 1, plans in its first 100 days to issue an outline of how the bloc can compete economically while meeting its climate targets.

Busch said the three countries behind the paper were calling for improved regulation to promote new projects and conditions to allow companies to scale up.

German state secretary Berhard Kluttig said the EU also needed to look to sources other than China for key raw material inputs.

"There are many options, Australia, Canada and even Europe, we have lithium projects, so it is also important that we focus on these alternative sources for battery materials," he said.