THE Cyber Security Association of China, backed by the powerful Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC), has associated itself with calls for a probe into Intel Corp products sold in China, Bloomberg reports.

The Chinese groups warn of the products security flaws and high failure rates. They called in a public WeChat post for an investigation to protect consumers.

It accused Intel of allowing built-in backdoors in chips for years, compromising user safety.

It's unclear whether the CAC, which polices the country's internet industry and data management regimes, has endorsed the association's position.

The low-profile grouping of internet companies and researchers was founded in 2016 and focuses on training and relationship-building within the industry. "Intel products pose serious risks to national security," the association said in its social media post.

Beijing has waged a campaign for years to reduce a reliance on foreign technology as US tensions ratcheted higher, urging enterprises to choose local alternatives. That effort has accelerated as Washington increasingly seeks to cut off the flow of valuable Western technology and components to the country and its biggest tech players, including Huawei Technologies.