According to the links below from the The Yomiuri Shimbun Japanese newspaper firms manufacturing or selling in China will be required to make the controlling software of "gadgets" open to inspection. http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/business...19TDY01306.htm One consequence... http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/business...06TDY07301.htm There are plenty of cases of copies of goods made with programmed chips in many areas of consumer and professional markets, just look aroung forums where import/rebadged items are compared to the original innovative manufacturer. Other evident case arises when servicing vehicles etc without the (unreasonably ?) high charge for connecting the manufacturers propietary program on a PC or gizmo to test engines etc. In our case it is evident that programmed chips control the working of A/Cs and inverters... What consequences could this have? A further re-location of manufacturing?