Global Courant 2023-04-27 09:32:48
The incident comes after police raided the Beijing office of US due diligence firm Mintz Group last month and detained staff.
Chinese law enforcement officers questioned Bain & Company employees at the US consulting giant’s Shanghai office.
“We can confirm that Chinese authorities have questioned staff in our Shanghai office,” a company spokesperson said Thursday.
“We are cooperating with the Chinese authorities where necessary. At this time we have no further comment.”
The roles and identities of the personnel questioned or the reason for the police operation are not clear.
Criminal investigations are typically shrouded in secrecy in China and it can often take years for the outcome of the proceedings to become known.
The Financial Times first reported on Wednesday that police made a surprise visit to the office two weeks ago, taking phones and computers, without detaining any staff.
The incident is likely to heighten concerns among foreign companies about the safety of operating in China, after authorities raided the Beijing office of US due diligence firm Mintz Group last month and detained five staff members.
Chinese authorities later said the company was under investigation for “illegal” activities.
China’s cybersecurity watchdog announced last month an investigation into the security of products from US memory chipmaker Micron Technology.
China’s new premier Li Qiang has sought to reassure businesses that China is open for business after nearly three years of strict pandemic clubs and repeated crackdowns on private industry.
Chinese President Xi Jinping, who is widely believed to prioritize political control over the economy, told a meeting of the ruling Communist Party last month that security is “the basis of development” and stability is “a prerequisite for prosperity.” .
