Apple Sets Up China Data Center to Meet New Cybersecurity Rules
China has passed a cybersecurity law that requires foreign firms to store data within the country.
Apple announced on Wednesday that it is setting up its first data center in China, in partnership with a local internet services company, to comply with tougher cybersecurity laws introduced last month.
An Apple spokesperson said that the new addition would allow the technology company to improve the speed and reliability of their products as well as also comply with newly passed regulations.
The new regulations require foreign firms to store data within the country. Apple is the first company to announcement amendments to its data storage for China following the implementation of the new laws.
Overseas business groups said the law's strict data surveillance and storage requirements are overly vague, burdening the firms with excessive compliance risks and threatening proprietary data.
Authorities say the law is not designed to put foreign firms at a disadvantage and was drafted in reaction to the threat of cyber attacks and terrorism.
Apple also said it had strong data privacy and security protections in place.
The U.S. technology company said it will build the center in the southern province of Guizhou with data management firm Guizhou-Cloud Big Data Industry Co Ltd (GCBD). The center is part of a planned $1 billion investment into the province.