Signal China Launches First National Security Investigation in Foreign Trade, Targeting Imported Office Equipment

Summary

China's Ministry of Commerce opened an investigation on August 5, 2026 into imported office equipment with printing and copying functions that run on foreign system software, Xinhua reported. The move marks the first national security investigation China has ever conducted in the area of foreign trade. Its scope covers import volumes, the effect of the imported products, technologies, and services on national security interests, domestic demand and reliance on foreign supply, the state of domestic industry development and how imports affect it, whether domestic industry can meet national security needs, and how relevant foreign government policies bear on China's national security interests. The inquiry can proceed through written questionnaires, hearings, on-site checks, or commissioned investigations, and is expected to conclude within 12 months, with extensions possible under special circumstances. Imported printing and copying equipment currently accounts for roughly half of China's domestic market by both sales volume and value, while domestic manufacturers holding fully independent intellectual property rights control less than a quarter of that market. This supply gap is cited as part of the backdrop for the investigation.