Inordertounlockthebillion-dollargovernmentprocurementmarket,IBMCorpwillallowthegovernmentaccesstoitssoftwarecodes,aseniorexecutivesaidonThursday.
Thecompanyisthefirstoverseastechmajortopubliclyannouncesuchamove.
IBMagreedtolettheMinistryofIndustryandInformationTechnologyanditscertifiedinstitutestoexamineIBMproductsina"cleanroom"tomakesuretheyfitnationalinformationsecuritypolicies,saidSteveMills,seniorvice-presidentofIBMsoftwareandsystemsunit.
Callingtheplan"theabilitytoaddress'secureandcontrollable'Chinainitiative,"Millssaidthecompany'sgrowthinChinaneedsgovernmentsponsorship.
HedidnotspecifyifalltheproductsthecompanysellsinChinawillsubmittotheexamination.
CharlieDai,principalanalystatForresterResearchInc,saidthemovedemonstratedthecollaborativeattitudeofIBMtoworkwithChinesegovernmentandhelpinthedigitaltransformationforChinesecompanies.
"ItalsoshowsthatIBMisunderpressuretosustainitsbusinessgrowthinChina,addressingthesecurityconcernsofChinesegovernmentandecosystemexpansionaretwocriticalsteps,"Daisaid.
ChinaisonfullalertaboutinformationsecuritythreatssinceformerUSNationalSecurityAgencycontractorEdwardSnowdenunveiledmassivesurveillanceschemescarriedoutbytheUSgovernment.
InformationtechnologyproductspurchasedbygovernmentbodiesandState-ownedenterprisesallcomeunderthecategoryofgovernmentprocurementsector.Industryregulatorsarevettingalltheitemsforpossiblesecurityvulnerabilities.