China is moving to remove an older version of Microsoft's Windows tailored for government agencies, another step in a broader push to cut dependence on foreign technology. The shift targets customized Windows 10 software that the Chinese Ministry of State Security recently told some state-linked entities to uninstall, per Bloomberg reporting.
The directive accelerates the planned discontinuation of the operating system by several months, according to the report. That timeline shift signals Beijing's increasing urgency to phase out the world's most popular PC software across state operations.
The move is part of a wider effort to root out foreign tech reliance, extending beyond just Microsoft's desktop OS. China's State Council Information Office didn't respond to a faxed request for comment on the reported directive.
For state-linked organizations still running the customized Windows 10 build, the practical effect is straightforward: uninstall now, not later. The accelerated schedule compresses whatever migration window those agencies had to move to alternatives.
The exact scope of affected agencies and the number of machines involved remain unclear, as does any formal enforcement mechanism. What's confirmed is the direction: China is pulling Windows out of state hands faster than originally planned.
