Microsoft is reportedly advising some of its employees in China to consider transferring to other countries amid geopolitical tensions resulting from the US-China battle over advanced technologies.
A report from The Wall Street Journal claims that the company is asking around 700 to 800 of its China-based employees involved in machine learning and cloud computing to consider moving to countries such as the US, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand.
Citing an unnamed source familiar with the matter, the WJ reported that affected employees have had until early June to commit to a move, but it also appears that employees can also choose to remain in China.
Microsoft hires employees from China
A Microsoft spokesperson confirmed this Reuters: “Providing internal opportunities is an integral part of managing our global operations. As part of this process, we have shared an optional internal transfer opportunity with some of the employees.”
The move comes amid America’s efforts to limit China’s access to advanced AI chips, which Washington fears could help boost Beijing’s military capabilities. The Biden administration has imposed several restrictions on the country, including limiting and increasing tariffs on certain imports and exports.
Microsoft has a significant presence in China, including the Asia-Pacific Research and Development Group, which employs more than 6,000 scientists and engineers in the Chinese cities of Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen and Suzhou, as well as Taipei in Taiwan and Tokyo in Japan .
Keeping the peace between China and the US isn’t the only challenge Microsoft faces; the Redmond giant continues to make changes in operational efficiency despite being the world’s most valuable company, with a market capitalization of $3.13 trillion.
At the start of the year, it laid off about 1,900 employees from Xbox, Activision Blizzard and ZeniMax, accounting for about 8% of its gaming workforce.
Ny Breaking has asked Microsoft to confirm details of its plans to move employees out of China, but we did not receive an immediate response.