Claude Code's complicated China problem involves bans on both sides of the Pacific

Anthropic is currently attempting to restrict Chinese firms from accessing its Claude Code developer tool, though companies are bypassing these measures through international subsidiaries and VPNs. Simultaneously, Alibaba has labeled the software a high-risk security threat and prohibited its employees from using it. These conflicting restrictions highlight the growing geopolitical friction in AI development, as companies navigate both U.S. export controls and internal concerns regarding intellectual property and data security.