China sees more backing for home-grown encryption standard

0 Comments | AFP, May, 2007

BEIJING (AFP) — A growing number of Chinese telecom and computer companies support a local encryption standard for wireless Internet that challenges US technology in the field, state media said Wednesday.

The WAPI encryption standard, a Chinese-made rival of the US-backed 802.11 standard, has received the endorsement of companies such as cellphone operator China Mobile and PC vendor Lenovo, the China Daily reported.

"A complete WAPI industry chain is already taking shape and it is set to prevail in China," said Jiang Shiping, chairman of the WAPI alliance, an industry group pushing the standard.

Encryption software transforms messages into virtually unbreakable code in order to make sure the information does not wind up in the wrong hands.

China has...