US Officials Use Temporary Phones In China Over Cybersecurity Fears

Members of the United States presidential delegation reportedly did not bring their personal mobile phones during a recent visit to China, AzerNEWS reports, citing Fox news.

According to reports, American officials were required to use temporary, pre-secured devices throughout the trip. The measure was taken out of concern that personal devices could be vulnerable to hacking or unauthorized data access by foreign intelligence services.

Instead, officials entering China often travel with stripped-down "clean" devices, temporary laptops and tightly controlled communications systems designed to minimize the risk of surveillance, hacking or data collection. Security agencies also discourage officials from using local charging infrastructure. Compromised USB charging stations, charging cables or ports can potentially be used to steal data or install malicious software onto a device.

Similar security measures are used not only by American officials, but also by top managers of Apple, Boeing, Qualcomm and BlackRock who arrived in China with the president.

The precautions can transform even routine tasks into logistical headaches. Messages that would normally travel instantly through encrypted apps or synced devices are instead routed through controlled channels, temporary accounts or relayed in person.

Image: Shealah Craighead / White House

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