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Lu Wei, China's Internet czar. Beijing has summoned American tech companies to a forum in Seattle next week, while President Obama has suggested they are being hurt by China's anticompetitive practices.Credit Johannes Eisele/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

HONG KONG — The Chinese government, which has long used its country’s vast market as leverage over American technology companies, is now asking some of those firms to directly pledge their commitment to contentious policies that could require them to turn user data and intellectual property over to the government.

The government distributed a document to some American tech companies earlier this summer, in which it asked the companies to promise they would not harm China’s national security and would store Chinese user data within the country, according to three people with knowledge of the letter who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

The letter also asks the American companies to ensure their products are “secure and controllable,” a catchphrase that industry groups said could be used to force companies to build so-called back doors — which allow third-party access to systems — provide encryption keys or even hand over source code.

The document underlines the way China is wielding its power over the American tech industry. Next week, Beijing has also planned a tech forum in Seattle between China’s Internet czar, Lu Wei, and tech companies including Apple, Facebook, IBM, Google and Uber, in a show of how it can get some of the world’s leading tech players to meet even as President Obama has suggested American companies are being hurt by anticompetitive Chinese practices. The forum is timed to coincide with President Xi Jinping‘s first state visit to the United States.

The situation is tricky for American tech companies. Many are eager to take advantage of business opportunities in China before local rivals sew up the market. But they have to tread carefully given the Chinese government’s sensitivities on issues like censorship and security. Facebook and Google are among those blocked by China’s web filters from offering their core services in the country, which is the world’s biggest Internet market.

It is not clear whether any of the companies invited to the Seattle tech forum received the pledge. The document was sent by the China Internet Security Certification Center, most likely under pressure from China’s main Internet regulator, according to one of the people with knowledge of the letter.

It is also unclear when Chinese officials want a response from the companies on the pledge, but they may be hoping for some sign during next week’s tech forum, or at an Internet conference hosted by China’s Internet regulators later in the year, these people said.

The Cyberspace Administration of China did not respond to a faxed request for comment on the pledge.

Uber, Apple, Google, IBM, Microsoft and Facebook did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The pledge contains language similar to that in a recently distributed Chinese national security law. The document begins with the statement: “Our company agrees to strictly adhere to the two key principles” and names them as “not harming national security and not harming consumer rights.” It also asks the company to make six additional promises — some seemingly innocuous, like guaranteeing product safety, and others less so, like volunteering to check that products are “secure and controllable.” That could imply an agreement to cater products to Chinese surveillance.

Over the last year, Chinese officials have sought to persuade American companies to support declarations of differing types. In a conference hosted by China’s Internet regulator last year, attendees were given little time to provide feedback on a declaration that said countries should have the right to make their own Internet laws, even if those laws mandate censorship and surveillance. The declaration was ultimately abandoned because of objections.

Document The Pledge China Wants Tech Companies to Sign The Chinese government is asking some tech firms to directly pledge their commitment to contentious policies that could require them to turn user data and intellectual property over to the government.