China fines US research firm $1.5 million in crackdown on information-gathering
An American research firm has been fined $1.5 million by China’s government in a crackdown on information-gathering that has rattled foreign investors
BEIJING (AP) — An American research firm has been fined $1.5 million by China's government in a crackdown on information-gathering that has rattled foreign investors.
Mintz Group was one of a series of foreign consultants that were raided starting in April after Chinese leader Xi Jinping's government announced expanded anti-spying rules that left companies unsure what they were allowed to do.
Mintz Group illegally engaged in “foreign-related statistical investigation activities without obtaining approval,” the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Statistics said in a notice dated July 14 on its website. It gave no details of the violation but said Mintz Group was fined 10.7 million yuan ($1.5 million).
Mintz Group does background checks on employees and business partners and gathers other information for corporate clients.
