Hong Kong swaps Microsoft for Chinese software amid US tech curb fears
Synopsis
Hong Kong's government is quietly swapping Microsoft and other Western platforms for mainland Chinese alternatives — and the police force's replacement of SharePoint with Seeyon is the clearest public signal yet that the city's tech stack is realigning with Beijing.
Key Takeaways
The Hong Kong Police Force is replacing Microsoft SharePoint with Seeyon , a mainland Chinese software platform, in at least one division; a second department made the same switch in 2024 .
Francis Fong Po-kiu , honorary president of the Hong Kong Information Technology Federation , says US tech giants like Microsoft once formed 'the bedrock of Hong Kong 's digital landscape' but now face active displacement in the government sector.
Fear of US export controls and sanctions is the primary driver, with officials viewing dependence on Western software as a 'strategic liability' that could be 'deactivated or restricted at any time.' The shift echoes mainland China 's Xinchuang programme; vendors including Sangfor Technologies and Seeyon are among the direct beneficiaries.
Enterprises such as MTR Corporation and CLP Power are reportedly reviewing their exposure to Western vendors including Broadcom .
Hong Kong's technology infrastructure is undergoing a significant overhaul as government agencies and businesses replace Western software with mainland Chinese alternatives, accelerated by deepening integration with Beijing and mounting concerns over US export controls, according to tech industry experts.
The shift in action
The Hong Kong Police Force is replacing Microsoft SharePoint — a cloud-based document management and intranet platform — with Seeyon software from mainland China in at least one division, according to Stony Shi, Seeyon's head of business for the Asia-Pacific region. A separate department completed the same migration in 2024, Shi added. Microsoft did not respond to a request for comment. The Hong Kong Police confirmed it follows established procurement procedures but declined to reveal specifics, citing operational reasons.
Why it matters
US tech giants like Microsoft have long 'served as the bedrock of Hong Kong's digital landscape,' but that dominance is now being actively contested, particularly in the government sector, according to Francis Fong Po-kiu, honorary president of the Hong Kong Information Technology Federation. The migration reflects a broader strategic recalculation: 'In an era of unpredictable US export controls and sanctions, the Hong Kong government views over-reliance on Western 'black box' technology as a strategic liability that could be deactivated or restricted at any time,' Fong said.
The competitive backdrop
The trend mirrors mainland China's own Xinchuang initiative — a state-backed drive to replace foreign technology with domestic equivalents across critical infrastructure. Vendors such as Sangfor Technologies and Seeyon are among the beneficiaries, as Hong Kong's Digital Policy Office and the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer push agencies toward Greater Bay Area-aligned technology stacks. Enterprises including MTR Corporation and CLP Power are also reportedly evaluating their exposure to Western software vendors, including Broadcom.
Geopolitical drivers
The acceleration follows the implementation of Hong Kong's National Security Law, which has tightened the city's alignment with Beijing across regulatory and policy domains. Tightening US technology export curbs targeting both mainland China and Hong Kong have heightened concerns that critical government systems could face disruption if sanctions are broadened. Cybersecurity considerations under the National Security framework are also cited as a driver of the procurement shift.
What's next
The pace of substitution is expected to intensify as US-China technology tensions remain elevated and Hong Kong agencies complete ongoing procurement reviews. Analysts and industry observers will be watching whether the migration extends beyond government into Hong Kong's financial services and logistics sectors — the two verticals most deeply embedded in Western enterprise software ecosystems.
Point of View
Not just semiconductors. What mainstream coverage underweights is the supply-side dynamic: mainland vendors like Seeyon and Sangfor are not yet feature-peers of Microsoft or Broadcom in complex enterprise environments, meaning productivity trade-offs are real and likely underreported by procuring agencies. The National Security Law has effectively removed the institutional friction that previously slowed such switches in a market that prided itself on rule-of-law procurement neutrality. Investors in Western enterprise software with significant Asia-Pacific government exposure should treat Hong Kong as a leading indicator, not an outlier.
NationPress
9 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Hong Kong replacing Western technology with Chinese software?
Yes. Hong Kong government agencies are actively migrating from Western platforms to mainland Chinese alternatives. The Hong Kong Police Force's replacement of Microsoft SharePoint with Seeyon software is one confirmed example, with a second police department having completed the same switch in 2024.
Why is Hong Kong switching from Microsoft to Chinese software?
The primary driver is fear of US export controls and sanctions. According to Francis Fong Po-kiu of the Hong Kong Information Technology Federation, the government views heavy reliance on Western 'black box' technology as a strategic liability that could be deactivated or restricted without warning, particularly as US-China tensions escalate.
What is Seeyon and why is it replacing Microsoft SharePoint in Hong Kong?
Seeyon is a mainland Chinese enterprise software company whose collaboration and document-management platform is being positioned as a domestic alternative to Microsoft SharePoint. Its head of Asia-Pacific business, Stony Shi, confirmed the Hong Kong Police Force deployments.
Which other Hong Kong organisations are affected by this tech shift?
Beyond the Hong Kong Police Force, enterprises including MTR Corporation and CLP Power are reportedly reviewing their reliance on Western vendors. Broader government oversight bodies such as the Digital Policy Office and the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer are also involved in driving the transition.
How does Hong Kong's tech migration compare to mainland China's Xinchuang programme?
The moves closely mirror mainland China's Xinchuang initiative, a state-backed effort to substitute foreign technology with domestic equivalents across critical infrastructure. Hong Kong's shift appears to follow the same strategic logic, accelerated by the National Security Law's tighter alignment between the city and Beijing.
