U.S. Attorney General William Barr has lamented many U.S. companies’ response to China’s demands in their operations in that country.

He called out companies such as Walt Disney Co (DIS.N) Apple, Alphabet’s Google, and Microsoft Corp of kowtowing too much to the Chinese government.

“If Disney and other American corporations continue to bow to Beijing, they risk undermining both their own future competitiveness and prosperity, as well as the classical liberal order that has allowed them to thrive,” he said.

The Justice Department had seen growing numbers of cases where Chinese officials were lobbying U.S. bosses to favor Beijing’s policies, he said.

He said U.S. companies should collectively rebuff demands made by the Chinese government.

 “If individual companies are afraid to take a stand, there is strength in numbers.”

He criticized technology companies, which he said had “allowed themselves to become pawns of Chinese influence.”

He also alleged that the Chinese government was able to access Apple phones. He labeled such actions as a double standard since the U.S. was not afforded the same opportunity.

 It’s a “double standard that has been emerging among American tech companies.”

“Do you think when Apple sells phones in China, that Apple phones in China are impervious to penetration by Chinese authorities? They wouldn’t be sold if they were impervious to Chinese authorities,” he said.

Apple says it does not have a back door into its phones and will not build one.

Mr. Barr also praised Facebook, Google, Twitter, and LinkedIn for saying they would not comply with requests for user data under Beijing’s new security law in Hong Kong.

“Win-win in China means China wins twice,” he said.

Pollyanna Davy, Readers Bureau, Contributor

Edited by Jesus Chan

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