Software security competition to get tough

[InfoSec News <isn () C4I ORG>]

http://www.chinadaily.net/cndy/history/2000/11/d1-3soft.b02.html

JIA HEPENG, China Daily staff
11/02/2000

Chinese software companies have vowed to confront foreign competition
with mature technologies as the information security market opens up
to overseas firms.

Admitting a technological gap between Chinese and foreign companies,
Ni Limin, vice-president from Zhejiang Province's Hangzhou-based
Zhongheng Technology said Chinese software manufacturers should
develop to meet the demands of the domestic information security
market.

"The Chinese information security market is opening to foreign
software developers," Tian Qiyu, vice-minister of Public Security said
yesterday at the China International Information Security Exhibition
2000, which runs between November 1 and 3.

Foreign information security companies enjoy their position in China.
"We see a good future for our products in the Chinese market, because
Chinese spend more money on network infrastructures and the
requirement for information security becomes stronger," Mark Stevens,
vice-president of Seattle-based Watch Guard Company said.

According to statistics from the Public Security Ministry, there were
230 information security software developers in China by the end of
September this year, and 335 information security products have
obtained sale certificates in the country.

Tian said products from the US, UK, France, Germany and Israel had
entered China's computer security markets.

Zhao Lin, an official from the ministry's Public Information Network
Security Inspection Bureau, said foreign products were equally treated
in China's market, but they should have an agent in China, and must
have sale certificates issued by the ministry.

However, some core agencies, such as governmental, military, and Party
organizations, remain closed to foreign companies.

Li Jun, China marketing manager for US-based Network Associates
Incorporation, said limitations on foreign products were natural and
necessary, but with China's entry to the World Trade Organization,
more fields would open to foreign manufacturers.

"Besides, we will exploit China's market through co-operation with our
Chinese counterparts," Li said.

Facing foreign competition, Li Muchun, vice-general manager of
Beijing-based Tsinghua Dascom Network Security Company was confident.

"In those special fields such as security and the military, which need
information security urgently, the success of foreign companies will
not be too great because of the restrictions on them, but
technological demands of non-governmental sectors are low in China,
and we can be competent enough for these sectors," Li said.

More than 70 exhibitors from China, the US, Israel, Belgium, South
Korea and Singapore participated in the 3-day event, organized by the
Public Security Ministry and the State Information Centre.

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