Apple removes ‘New York Times’ app at China store

After accepting requests from Chinese authorities, Apple removed "New York Times" App from its App Store in China. This move limits the access to only a few remaining channels for readers in China to read "New York Times" without utilizing the special software.

The Chinese began blocking the Times' websites in 2012 after a series of articles were meant for the wealth amassed by the family of Wen Jiabao, who was then Prime Minister. Apple removed both English and Chinese language App from the store on December 23. Other international App publications, The Financial Times and The Wall Street Journal, are still available in the store.

An Apple spokesman said for some time now that "New York Times" app was not displayed to most of the users in China and it was informed that the app is in violation of local regulations. As a result, the app was taken down from the Chinese app store.

The Times bureau in Beijing said it had not been contacted by the government about this matter. A Times spokesman in New York, Eileen Murphy, said the company had asked Apple to reconsider its decision. 

Murphy later issued a statement saying the request from the Chinese government to remove their apps was just a part of their wider attempt to prevent readers in China accessing independent news coverage by the "New York Times" in the country.

The request as appeared was made under regulations released in June 2016 called Provisions on the Administration of Mobile Internet Application Information Services. The regulation says the app cannot indulge in activities prohibited by laws such as endangering national security, disrupting social order and violating legitimate rights and interests of others. 

The Communist Party who rules the country, have a tightly controlled media inside employs one of the world's most sophisticated systems of internet censorship. Chinese law prohibits publication of harmful information online.

Apple has previously removed non-prominent apps from its China app store. ItIt was quite unclear as to how the company evaluates requests from Beijing to take down apps.

In the weeks leading up to this withdrawal of app from the store, The Times was working on various articles related to the Chinese government. China is also one of the largest Apple iPhone markets, though sales in the region in past few months have slowed.

The Times news app remains available in Apple's app stores for other countries like Hong Kong and Taiwan, but people using this must have a credit card of billing address of outside of China. The Times crossword puzzle and virtual reality apps remain available throughout China.

The decision to remove the app won't affect the users who already have it, but new releases and can't be downloaded in China unless any other region's app store is in use.