Lenovo

Bills To Stop China Tech Spending Advance, State Momentum Grows, Dangerous Spending Continues – March 19

Posted on by China Tech Threat
From 1 to 9 to 16: States Are Acting To Ban Dangerous China Tech. In 2019, Vermont was the single state that had banned risky technology by companies owned or operated by the Chinese government. By 2023, when China Tech Threat (CTT) released its States of Denial vs States of Momentum report, that number had grown to nine with four states passing laws in the spring of 2023 alone. As of March 1, 2024, 16 additional states are considering legislation and Utah is expected to be the first in 2024, as a new bill passed by the legislature awaits Governor Cox’s signature. Scroll below for interviews with several state lawmakers on why they made this issue a priority.  New 2024… Read More

Lenovo’s Last Ditch Lobbying Fails as Senator McCay Successfully Restricts PRC Tech from Utah

Posted on by China Tech Threat
In the wanning hours of the 2024 Utah legislative session, HB 404 – which would stop the state from purchasing tech manufactured by PRC-owned companies – was challenged on the floor of the Senate. Senator Daniel McCay, the senate sponsor, successfully deflected an 11th hour attempt to weaken his bill. Here is how he explained the challenge: One company is highly motivated… has hired a lobbyist, which is certainly within their right … we looked in procurement and since 2018 [the State of Utah has] spent more than $50 million with that company. I can understand why they’re concerned about losing a $50 million deal or contract, but… the problems that we have as a country trying to secure our… Read More

Video: NH Rep. Roy on Bill To Prohibit Contracts with Chinese Government Owned Tech

Posted on by China Tech Threat
Under the leadership of New Hampshire State Representative Terry Roy, the Granite State joins the growing momentum as states take policy action to ban the purchase of dangerous technology from Chinese government owned or affiliated technology manufacturers. China Tech Threat’s May 2023 report showed New Hampshire spent $204,765 on restricted Chinese technology from Lexmark, Inc. and Lenovo, Inc. While the amount spent isn’t as high as some states, of equal concern is that the risky technology is being used throughout state government offices in the Legislative Branch, the Treasury Department and even the Judicial Branch. In January 2023, Rep. Terry Roy sponsored House Bill 86, prohibiting the state from contracting with Chinese government owned or affiliated technology manufacturers like Lenovo… Read More

VIDEO: UT Bill To Stop China Tech Purchases Passes Full House

Posted on by China Tech Threat
On February 22, Utah bill HB 404, the Public Entity Restrictions bill passed the full House with sweeping bipartisan support and is now before the Senate rules committee. Bill cosponsor Karianne Lisonbee has been committed to stopping taxpayer dollars from being used to purchase technology from CCP-owned companies. China Tech Threat (CTT) talked with Rep. Lisonbee about the need for this legislation and her warnings about the more than $34 million the state has already spent on restricted China tech: “I am very concerned about the privacy of our individual citizens, their ability to control where their data goes, and who it goes to. We should also be very concerned about the amount of taxpayer money that is going to… Read More

Q&A With General Spider Marks: ‘24 Momentum In State Capitols To Ban Risky China Tech

Posted on by China Tech Threat
As February draws to a close, many state legislatures are well into their sessions and some, like Utah, quickly nearing the end of their business for this year. China Tech Threat (CTT) is encouraged by the leadership many new states have demonstrated already in 2024 by advancing bills to prohibit state purchase of risky technology from companies owned or operated by the Chinese government. We caught up with CTT Principal General James “Spider” Marks for his take on the state progress to date and the vulnerabilities that linger.  Q: 2023 ended strong with four new states passing laws bringing their total number of states that passed laws or executive orders to nine. What status update can you share at this… Read More

New CTT Data Indicates States Continue To Spend Millions on Restricted Tech

Posted on by China Tech Threat
States Making Progress to Curtail Further Spending China Tech Threat’s original 2020 research found that nearly 40 states had contracts to purchase technology Chinese government-owned technology manufacturers Lenovo and Lexmark. Beginning in Fall 2022, we began to re-examine data from each state to determine if the states have made payments to either company, how much was spent, and where those products were deployed. As of May 2023, we verified payments from 48 states totaling more than $285 million since 2015, with some states spending as much as $47 million on Lexmark or Lenovo products. (Read the briefing paper here.) In January 2024 we returned to this research in select states and discovered that states currently debating bills to stop the… Read More

Key Kentucky Departments Are at Risk Due to Continued Spending on Restricted Chinese Tech

Posted on by China Tech Threat
Kentucky continues to spend taxpayer dollars on restricted Chinese technology from Lenovo Inc. and Lexmark Inc. Following original research released in 2023, China Tech Threat’s (CTT) updated report found that in 2024 Kentucky bought an additional $920,340 worth of restricted technology from the two companies, on top of the $1,805,465 it spent in previous years. The updated data shows that the state has now brought its total spending on restricted technology from Lenovo, Inc. and Lexmark, Inc. between 2015 and 2024 to a total of $8,488,286. Chinese government-owned technology manufacturers Lenovo and Lexmark have been restricted from U.S. military and intelligence agencies due to their connection to the Chinese government and military. CTT’s research relevels that the State Police Department,… Read More

Kansas Continues to Be at Risk Due to Restricted Chinese Tech

Posted on by China Tech Threat
Since China Tech Threat’s (CTT) original report in 2023 on Kansas’s spending on restricted Chinese technology, we have found that the state of Kansas spent an additional $305,558 in 2023 on technology from Lenovo, Inc. also it was discovered that previously unreported data shows an additional $55,279 spent in 2018 and $38,500 in 2016. Our new updated report on spending shows that the state of Kansas spent a combined $4,025,443 on restricted Chinese technology from Lenovo, Inc. and Lexmark, Inc. between 2015 and 2023. We have identified that due to spending that select vulnerabilities in Kansas are the Department of Health and Environment, the Department of Commerce, the State Legislature, and the Board of Nursing. We encourage to lawmakers in… Read More

Nebraska Lawmakers Advance Bill to Protect State from China Threats

Posted on by China Tech Threat
China Tech Threat (CTT) provided expert testimony at a February 8 Nebraska Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee meeting, where the committee heard from Senator Eliot Bostar on his bill,  the Adopt the Pacific Conflict Stress Test Act and the Foreign Adversary Contracting Prohibition Act ( LB 1300). During Senator Bostar’s testimony, he shared, “LB1300 prepares the state’s supply chains and critical infrastructure for the risk of a Pacific conflict that Beijing consistently signals might occur.” Further adding, “Given that Nebraska is the home to Strategic Command and other critical American assets, it is not hard to imagine Nebraska being a target of cyberattacks and other disruptions. We cannot control these global risks, but we can and should prepare for… Read More

AZ Spending on Restricted China Tech Continues, But Lawmakers Working to Stop It

Posted on by China Tech Threat
Updated research at the start of 2024 shows that the State of Arizona continues to spend taxpayer money on Lenovo technology, despite its close connections to the Chinese government. According to data available on the state’s Arizona’s Financial Transparency Portal, the state has spent an additional $648,129 on Lenovo technology already in 2024 and $543,881 in 2023. This additional spending comes on top of the previous spending disclosed in China Tech Threat’s 2023 report and brings the total the state of Arizona has spent on this restricted Chinese technology from Lenovo, Inc. to  $7,012,317between 2016 and 2024. Fortunately, Arizona lawmakers are making it a priority to stop this spending in 2024 and have introduced legislation to prohibit such spending and… Read More