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Apple pulls the plug on New York Times app in China at government’s behest

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By John Glenday, Reporter

January 5, 2017 | 2 min read

Apple has pulled the plug on the New York Times app from its app store in China at the behest of the Chinese government after it complained of a "violation of local regulations" in its reports.

China adopts a hard-line stance against foreign media companies operating in the country, blocking access to Google, Twitter and Facebook as part of its far-reaching censorship machinery.

In a sign of how supine western firms must be to operate in the world’s third largest market Apple axed both the English and Chinese-language versions of the paper from its platform just before Christmas.

Apple spokeswoman Carolyn Wu explained: “We have been informed that the app is in violation of local regulations. As a result the app must be taken down off the China app store.”

No details of the ‘violations’ were given and the New York Times has urged Apple to reconsider the decision.

Apple’s submission to the will of Chinese authorities sits in stark contrast to its US business where it publicly rebuffed attempts by officials to unlock an iPhone belonging to a suspected terrorist.

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