Australia's government said a report in the Australian Financial Review that computers made by China's Lenovo Group Limited (HKG:0992) were banned from use in secret Australian military networks is erroneous. A number of media outlets, including International Business Times, published stories based on the erroneous article.

"Reports published on 27 and 29 July 2013 in the Australian Financial Review allege a Department of Defense ban on the use of Lenovo computer equipment on the Defense Secret and Top Secret Networks," the statement posted Wednesday on the website of the Australian Government Department of Defense. "This reporting is factually incorrect. There is no Department of Defense ban on the Lenovo Company or their computer products; either for classified or unclassified systems."

Lenovo has also issued a statement pointing to the statement from the Australian government.

"Lenovo is not aware of any bans, and it is not appropriate to comment further on Lenovo's relationship with clients in the public sector," said Jeffrey Shafer, the vice president of Global Corporate Communications at Lenovo USA, in a phone interview.

RELATED STORIES
Australia China Lenovo