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China had removed all 60 Cisco products listed for government use by late 2014, according to Reuters’ analysis as reported in a 26 February 2015 article. Apple, Citrix, and McAfee products were also removed. The report did not establish an official reason, and this 2014 change should not be confused with a separate Chinese procurement restriction announced in 2026.
What China’s 2014 approval-list change involved
A 26 February 2015 article by Chris Burt at Data Center Knowledge, originally published at The WHIR and summarizing Reuters reporting, described changes to a list provided to government agencies by China’s Central Government Procurement Center. Reuters’ analysis found that Cisco had 60 products approved for government use and that all had been removed by late 2014. The article also named Apple, Citrix, and McAfee among the vendors whose products were removed. Read the 2015 report.
The same account said the list expanded from under 3,000 products to almost 5,000 during the period it covered. These are approximate figures from the article’s account of Reuters’ analysis; the article did not reproduce the underlying procurement list.
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Why the products were removed
The report said the reason for the removals was unclear. Contemporary commentary placed the changes within wider concerns about U.S. surveillance following Edward Snowden’s disclosures and China’s stated interest in cyber-sovereignty. It also raised the possibility that restricting foreign products could benefit domestic competitors. Those were contextual interpretations, not an official explanation for the removal of Cisco’s products.
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How the 2015 market forecast fits
The 2015 report cited IDC’s expectation that China’s information and communications technology market would reach $465 billion in 2015. That figure was a forecast cited at the time, not a verified measurement of the market’s actual size.
How the separate 2026 procurement restriction differs
On 22 June 2026, China’s Ministry of Finance issued a different procurement measure: government procurement entities could not buy products made by 46 designated U.S. companies. The notice took effect when issued and excluded U.S.-invested companies operating in China. It links to an attachment naming the companies. Read the Ministry of Finance notice.
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- SWITCH PORTS: 5 -Port 10/100/1000
- SIMPLE: Plug-and-play without a need for IT know-how or support.
- FLEXIBLE: Extensive portfolio provides ultimate flexibility from 5 to 24 ports and PoE combinations
- PERFORMANCE: Gigabit Ethernet and integrated quality-of-service (QoS) intelligence optimize delay-sensitive services and improve overall network performance.
- INNOVATIVE DESIGN: Elegant and compact design, ideal for installation outside of wiring closet such as retail stores, open plan offices, and classrooms
This 2026 restriction is not evidence that the 2014 approval-list removals followed the same policy, involved the same list, or had the same rationale. At a 25 June 2026 press conference, China’s Ministry of Commerce said the 46-company measure responded to U.S. additions to its so-called Chinese military companies list. The ministry said: “The U.S. government’s practice of expanding the so-called ‘Chinese military companies’ has seriously harmed the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises, and China has no choice but to take countermeasures.” That statement concerns the later action, not Cisco’s removal in 2014. Read the ministry’s press-conference transcript.
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- Cisco Catalyst 2960X-48LPS-L Ethernet Switch
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