China Tightens Access to Public Data to Thwart US Intelligence Gathering

China has tightened its control over foreign access to its databases and financial records, partially motivated by US think tanks' efforts to monitor hard-to-find information on Beijing and its "military-civil fusion" strategy. The increased restrictions are due to mounting concern among top Chinese officials over the intelligence that US analysts have been able to garner by using publicly available information. The new guidelines could make continuing business with China more risky, and Western consulting, legal, cyber, and auditing firms may find it harder to conduct business with Beijing.