Microsoft's Windows 8 platform received a ban on China's government computers.

According to a statement from the Central Government Procurement Center in China, via the Xinhua news agency, all desktops, laptops, and tablets purchased through the state must be installed with an operating system not connected with Windows 8. The Chinese government's decision comes after security issues with life support for the Windows XP platform ended by Microsoft.

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The ban is only for computers used by government offices while personal computers can use the Windows 8 operating system.

Despite Microsoft ending support for Windows XP on April 8, the 13-year-old operating system was still popular in China, notably government computers, which garnered a 70 percent market share in the country. The Chinese-based news agency reported major software security companies reassured to provide technical assistance to safeguard the government computers against risks, such as hackers, after Windows XP's lifecycle.

As a result, China will turn its attention in developing its own operating system based on Linux.

Reuters noted the Windows 8 ban is a "blow" to Microsoft, which has "long struggled" with sales in the country. In 2011, then-Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer blamed piracy on Microsoft's troubled sales performance in China. As CNET reported, Microsoft accused nine computer resellers from China of running unlicensed software ahead of the Windows 8 launch in July 2012.

In comparison to Microsoft's revenue from China, the company earned more revenue in the Netherlands than China despite the latter having as many computers as the U.S.

In a statement to ZDNet, Microsoft stated it was "surprised" about the Chinese government's decision.

"We were surprised to learn about the reference to Windows 8 in this notice," the company said in a statement, via Reuters. "Microsoft has been working proactively with the Central Government Procurement Center and other government agencies through the evaluation process to ensure that our products and services meet all government procurement requirements."

According to Microsoft, the Redmond-based company will continue to provide Windows 7 to government clients and will work on the Windows 8 platform's evaluation with "relevant" government agencies.

A government imposing a ban on a tech company's product is not unheard of, as Russia implemented a similar measure against Apple devices.

As Latin Post reported, Russian governmental officials exchanged their Apple iPads for Samsung tablets.

Russia's Minister of Communications and Mass Media Nikolai Nikiforov stated, "Some of the information at government meetings is confidential in nature, and these devices (Samsung) fully meet these demands and have gone through the strictest system of certification."

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