China launches security review of US cybersecurity firm Palo Alto Networks

Chinese authorities have launched a national security review of US cybersecurity company Palo Alto Networks.

According to China's state-run Xinhua News Agency, the Cybersecurity Review Office under the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) announced Thursday that it would conduct a cybersecurity review of Palo Alto Networks products sold in China under the country's national security law and cybersecurity law.

The office said the review was intended "to ensure the safe and stable operation of critical information infrastructure, prevent cybersecurity risks and safeguard national security." It did not disclose which specific products are under review, the background behind the move, or how long the review will take.

Palo Alto Networks is a global security company that provides enterprise cybersecurity, cloud security and AI-based security operations services to more than 70,000 organizations across over 150 countries.

The move comes amid an escalating exchange of trade sanctions and retaliatory measures between the United States and China.

The US Federal Communications Commission has added advanced Chinese-made robots and power inverters to its import restriction list. The Department of Homeland Security added 43 Chinese companies to its Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) sanctions list.

In response, China's Ministry of Commerce tightened export controls on drone-related dual-use goods — materials usable for both civilian and military purposes — to the United States, suspended certification cooperation with the US and announced sanctions against seven American companies.

Chinese authorities did not address whether the Palo Alto Networks review is directly linked to the broader US-China tensions. In January, China called on domestic companies to stop using products from more than 10 US and Israeli cybersecurity firms, including Palo Alto Networks, citing national security concerns.