Today (Tuesday), Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced that he will expand the list of “prohibited technologies” in government equipment and networks in the state, banning state officials from using products and services from prominent Chinese companies, including e-commerce platform Alibaba, fast fashion store Shein, network equipment company TP-Link, TIMO Platforms, battery company CATL and others.
In a public statement released by his office, Abbott said the decision was aimed at “protecting the privacy of Texas residents” from the risk of espionage and data manipulation by the government of the People’s Republic of China and the Chinese Communist Party, noting that “bad actors from around the world should not be able to penetrate our state’s networks and equipment.”
Collaboration with cybersecurity
The ban on “physical devices, artificial intelligence, and software” owned by these companies applies to state-owned devices and networks, he announced, adding that the list was updated in coordination with the Texas Cybersecurity Command, commanded by retired Lt. Gen. TJ White.
The list includes 26 new Chinese companies and organizations, including artificial intelligence companies such as Baichuan, MiniMax and Moonshot AI, consumer electronics companies such as Xiaomi, Hisense and TCL, as well as companies in the lidar and electric vehicle fields.
The action comes as part of a series of steps Texas governors took several years ago to address cyber risks associated with Chinese technology, following Governor Abbott’s January 2025 executive order banning the use of Chinese artificial intelligence and social media applications on government devices.
The Texas governor previously supported legislation that would ban the TikTok platform from government agencies in 2022-2023 and block Chinese investment in sensitive infrastructure.
The policy reflects broader national security concerns in the United States about data collection by Chinese companies that are obligated to cooperate with intelligence agencies.
These concerns have resulted in companies such as Huawei and ZTE being banned or restricted at the federal level and are now expanding into consumer sectors such as e-commerce and consumer electronics.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott today (Tuesday) announced an expansion of the list of “prohibited technologies” for devices and government networks in the state, banning state employees from using products and services from prominent Chinese companies, including e-commerce platform Alibaba, fast fashion retailer Shayne, networking equipment company TP-Link, platform Temu, battery maker CATL and others.
In an official statement from his office, Abbott said the decision was aimed at “protecting the privacy of Texans” from the risk of espionage and data manipulation by the government of the People’s Republic of China and the Chinese Communist Party, noting that “bad actors from around the world should not be able to penetrate our state’s networks and equipment.”
Collaboration with cybersecurity
The ban applies to the companies’ “hardware, artificial intelligence, and software” on state-owned devices and networks, and the list was updated in coordination with Texas’ cybersecurity leadership, led by retired Lt. Gen. TJ White, the statement said.
26 new Chinese companies and entities were added to the list, including AI companies such as Baichuan, MiniMax and Moonshot AI, consumer electronics companies such as Xiaomi, Hisense and TCL, as well as other companies in the lidar and electric vehicle fields.
The move is part of a series of steps Texas governors have taken over the years to address cybersecurity risks associated with Chinese technology, following Governor Abbott’s January 2025 executive order banning the use of Chinese-owned artificial intelligence and social media applications on government equipment.
Abbott previously supported legislation that would ban the TikTok platform from government devices from 2022 to 2023 and block Chinese investment in sensitive infrastructure.
The policy reflects broader security concerns in the United States about data collection by Chinese companies, which are subject to obligations to cooperate with intelligence agencies.
These concerns have led to federal bans and restrictions on companies such as Huawei and ZTE, and are now expanding to consumer sectors such as e-commerce and home appliances.
