Microsoft has proposed to some of its employees based in China to think about moving to other countries, the company announced on Thursday.
This comes as tensions between the United States and China continue to rise, particularly concerning technologies such as artificial intelligence and semiconductors.
According to The Wall Street Journal, which broke the story, Microsoft is suggesting that approximately 700 to 800 employees engaged in machine learning and other cloud computing-related tasks consider relocating.
“Offering internal opportunities is a regular part of managing our global business. As part of this process, we shared an optional internal transfer opportunity with a subset of employees,” A spokesperson from Microsoft said to to Reuters without specifying the exact number of employees who received the request.
The spokesperson affirmed Microsoft’s dedication to China and its commitment to operating in both China and other markets.
The majority of the affected employees, primarily Chinese engineers, were reportedly offered the option earlier in the week to transfer to the United States, Ireland, Australia, or New Zealand, according to sources familiar with the situation cited by WSJ.
This move comes amidst escalating tensions between the United States and China, with the Biden administration imposing increased tariffs on various Chinese imports, including electric vehicle batteries, computer chips, and medical products.
