But as a means to force foreign companies to use Chinese data suppliers this works perfectly. Because using this software would be illegal in China and anyone looking to business there legally would end up having to use Chinese data centers, Chinese data suppliers, Chinese infrastructure, etc.
This is thinking from a military apparatus stuck in the 1950es.
Mapping is explicitly regulated so no need for an indirect barrier.
AFAIK it is the same other places. If a Chinese company wanted to do an extensive commercial map of the US it would face all sorts of regulative hurdles.
One-way knowledge flows is an ubiquitous and consistent facet of china's commercial policies.
It was very transparently an economic and technical development policy from the start, it was never intended as a military policy to hinder enemy mapping ability.
They do similar information control across many other industries besides maps. The CCP is very good at gatekeeping access to foreign/uncensored information through a few state-owned enterprises, then metering it out as they see fit for economic progress.
It's a bit less like that now as Xi drifts into a more personal dictatorship.
> This is thinking from a military apparatus stuck in the 1950es.
Even if it started like that, I wouldn't be surprised if they now appreciate the unintended consequence of it serving as a "elaborate technical trade barrier."
The real question is what happens when they inevitably have a major economic downturn. Will the cronies lose power? Will they cling to power using violence against the opposition? Will they start a war to distract and rally their population?
No money raining down on the poor workers who gotta buy their own safety equipment or just deal without having any. Your job is to drip your hands in mercury every day don't like it then there are a thousand waiting to step in to replace you.
Why do you think companies are leaving China? It's because the workers are now demanding more money because everyone is richer.