With Sino-American trade tensions escalating, China’s cybersecurity
 standards could be used as an “invisible tool” for retaliating against 
Washington’s tariffs, according to one expert.
Such standards are government-issued operational guidelines that are 
technically voluntary, but are oftentimes treated as mandatory by 
foreign firms’ Chinese business partners.
If Asia’s largest economy were to weaponize the listing of standardized 
practices to hit American companies, the cost would be difficult to 
quantify, but the move’s effects on foreign firms could outlive current 
tensions, according a report from a Washington-based think tank.
With Sino-American trade tensions escalating, China’s cybersecurity 
standards could be used as an “invisible tool” for retaliating against 
Washington’s tariffs, according to one expert.
Such standards are government-issued operational guidelines that are 
technically voluntary, but are oftentimes treated as mandatory by 
foreign firms’ Chinese business partners.
If Asia’s largest economy were to weaponize the listing of standardized 
practices to hit American companies, the cost would be difficult to 
quantify, but the move’s effects on foreign firms could outlive current 
tensions, according a report from a Washington-based think tank.
With Sino-American trade tensions escalating, China’s cybersecurity 
standards could be used as an “invisible tool” for retaliating against 
Washington’s tariffs, according to one expert.
Such standards are government-issued operational guidelines that are 
technically voluntary, but are oftentimes treated as mandatory by 
foreign firms’ Chinese business partners.
If Asia’s largest economy were to weaponize the listing of standardized 
practices to hit American companies, the cost would be difficult to 
quantify, but the move’s effects on foreign firms could outlive current 
tensions, according a report from a Washington-based think tank.
With Sino-American trade tensions escalating, China’s cybersecurity 
standards could be used as an “invisible tool” for retaliating against 
Washington’s tariffs, according to one expert.
Such standards are government-issued operational guidelines that are 
technically voluntary, but are oftentimes treated as mandatory by 
foreign firms’ Chinese business partners.
If Asia’s largest economy were to weaponize the listing of standardized 
practices to hit American companies, the cost would be difficult to 
quantify, but the move’s effects on foreign firms could outlive current 
tensions, according a report from a Washington-based think tank.
With Sino-American trade tensions escalating, China’s cybersecurity 
standards could be used as an “invisible tool” for retaliating against 
Washington’s tariffs, according to one expert.
Such standards are government-issued operational guidelines that are 
technically voluntary, but are oftentimes treated as mandatory by 
foreign firms’ Chinese business partners.
If Asia’s largest economy were to weaponize the listing of standardized 
practices to hit American companies, the cost would be difficult to 
quantify, but the move’s effects on foreign firms could outlive current 
tensions, according a report from a Washington-based think tank.
With Sino-American trade tensions escalating, China’s cybersecurity 
standards could be used as an “invisible tool” for retaliating against 
Washington’s tariffs, according to one expert.
Such standards are government-issued operational guidelines that are 
technically voluntary, but are oftentimes treated as mandatory by 
foreign firms’ Chinese business partners.
If Asia’s largest economy were to weaponize the listing of standardized 
practices to hit American companies, the cost would be difficult to 
quantify, but the move’s effects on foreign firms could outlive current 
tensions, according a report from a Washington-based think tank.





