China Hits “Delete” on Microsoft Word

By Staff, Agencies

China has officially began phasing out Microsoft’s Word file format in favor of its own domestically developed alternative, the South China Morning Post reported on Monday. The move marks another step in Beijing’s ongoing effort to reduce dependence on US technology amid deepening trade and tech tensions with Washington.

The Commerce Ministry’s most recent announcement on rare earth export controls was released exclusively in the Chinese-made WPS format — a local equivalent to Microsoft Office — making it inaccessible through Word or other US-developed software. It was the first time the ministry published a document solely in a non-Microsoft format.

Last Thursday, Beijing announced new export restrictions on key strategic minerals with both civilian and military applications, citing national security concerns. The new measures expand licensing requirements and follow earlier steps to tighten control over high-tech resources.

In response, US President Donald Trump threatened to impose a 100% tariff on Chinese imports and to limit the export of “any and all critical software”.

Meanwhile, foreign software companies have been scaling back operations in China. Adobe and Citrix [now Cloud Software] have largely exited the market, while Microsoft recently shut down its AI research lab in Shanghai and all its physical stores across mainland China.

Beijing has also moved to curb reliance on US-made chips. In September, regulators reportedly instructed major Chinese companies to halt testing and purchases of Nvidia’s AI processors. According to the Financial Times, Chinese semiconductor firms now aim to triple the country’s domestic AI chip production.