 Protest disrupts Intel CEO's speech at Peking University
By Jing Ji (China Daily)
Updated: 2008-10-30 07:52  A protester interrupted a speech by Intel CEO Paul Otellini at Peking University yesterday, accusing the chip giant of covering up for Taiwan PC maker Asus in consumer rights litigation. The man, named Zhou Chengyu, stormed onto the stage, holding a poster which read "Intel covers up Asus!" Otellini's speech was disrupted before security guards removed the protester from the conference hall. An Intel spokeperson said the firm respects "everyone's rights to express opinions". "I went to protest because Intel helped cover up the use of faulty CPUs by Ausu," said Zhou. Zhou's friend, Huang Jing, bought a flawed Asus laptop in February, 2006. After sending it to an Asus repair center, she found the CPU was replaced with an "engineering sample" from Intel, which should not sold on the open market, according to the chip giant's policy. Huang and Zhou then demanded $5 million compensation from Asus but were detained later for alleged blackmailing after they threatened to reveal the scandal to the media. In 2007, Haidian district procurators dropped the charges against Huang who had been jailed for 10 months, saying "the evidence was insufficient" and Huang would receive a compensation from the State. Zhou and Huang later informed Intel about the faulty CPU, but got no response. However, in 2006, an Intel public relations manager testified as a witness to support Asus' accusation. "We will sue Asus for defamation. Besides, we are considering suing Intel as well," said Zhang Lan, one of the lawyers representing Huang. Such CPUs could have potential "design flaws" and may be unstable. Intel, at that time, denied any role in the scandal, but some media reports blamed it on Intel's mismanagement. Intel usually supplies engineering sample CPUs to its partners for tests and does not allow PC makers to sell computers containing such processors. Intel, which denied any wrongdoing, and fellow hi-tech giant Microsoft have came under fire for their alleged monopolies. (China Daily 10/30/2008 page13) |
