China switches off Windows 10 China Government Edition ahead of February 2027

China’s version of Windows was due to be withdrawn in February 2027, but the authorities appear to have decided not to wait any longer.

China’s Ministry of State Security has reportedly instructed certain government agencies to stop using Windows 10 China Government Edition. According to Bloomberg, which reported the news, Microsoft’s operating system is finished in China. As in Europe, Beijing has chosen to switch it off in order to end its reliance on American services.

No single, uniform decision has been made across Europe, although several countries and regions are moving away from Windows. France is leading the way with a major transition during 2026, requiring every ministry to submit its detailed roadmap by the autumn for the migration of more than 2.5 million workstations. Linux and sovereign, open-source alternatives are also being used as replacements.

China switches off Windows

Windows 10 China Government Edition is nevertheless a highly secure version, designed to meet China’s stringent national security and data sovereignty requirements. First launched in 2017, it was not developed by Microsoft alone: it was created by C&M Information Technologies (CMIT), a joint venture between Microsoft and the Chinese state-owned company China Electronics Technology Group Corporation (CETC).

Without providing further details, Chinese authorities cited concerns over Windows data security to justify the move. Microsoft told Bloomberg that it was “not aware of any security incident affecting this product, which continues to receive regular security updates.”

China had planned to discontinue this Windows 10 version from February 2027, but the first agencies are already moving away from it. They will instead use Chinese Linux distributions. It is not yet known which versions will replace Windows 10, but shares in Chinese suppliers Kylin Software and Tongxin Technology have already surged following the Chinese ministry’s announcement.

Huawei has a role to play

The operating systems produced by these companies are Kylin OS and UnionTech OS. Both had already been identified as replacement solutions for desktop computers and servers in government environments, state-owned enterprises and critical infrastructure. There is therefore little doubt that these two operating systems will soon have a role within Chinese government agencies switching off Windows.

Huawei’s HarmonyOS 2 should not be overlooked, however. Initially an Android variant for smartphones, it has since become a fully fledged operating system, with a PC version currently under development. Microsoft’s operating system is not expected to disappear from consumer devices immediately, as the CMIT joint venture also offers Windows Home China 11, designed exclusively for China.