The China Syndrome also describes an increasing problem with technology companies providing their wares to The People's Republic of China. The problem stems from China's use of this technology in order to further a communist agenda, rather than to empower their people.
The most popular example is Cisco and Nortel Networks' willingness to supply China with network filtering and blocking technology. "The Great Firewall of China" was the end result.1
A not-so-popular example, highly buried by the anti-virus industry, is their willingness to provide computer virus technology to China; not anti-virus technology, but virus technology. Anti-virus firms reportedly do this in order to gain access to Chinese markets.2
This "China Syndrome" has led some North American technology customers to wonder why they should support companies that willingly assist a regime known for human rights abuse. Unfortunately, few customers will vote with their wallets. The addictive update model assures that addictscustomers will continue to buy that company's products. Even the White House is guilty of patronizing technology firms that support China because of their addiction to anti-virus updates. By supporting these firms, they ironically and tacitly approve their un-patriotic activity.3
- http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2002/5/17/25858.shtml - The Great Firewall of China By Charles R. Smith
- http://www.dbugman.com/medley/idtheft1.html - by Ted Bridis of The Wall Street Journal and
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2001/04/03/chinese_feds_demand_computer_virus/ - Chinese Feds demand computer virus samples by Thomas C Greene of The Register
- http://vmyths.com/rant.cfm?id=482&page=4 - The China Syndrome, Part 6 by Rob Rosenberger
kalen lived in China from 2002 to 2004. He explained to me that he had not heard of "The China Syndrome" referred to in a technology or anti-virus context. This is understandable, since this was publicized in early 2001 and has not seen much press since then.