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.