US software giant SAS Institute is pulling out of China, ending more than two decades of operations amid domestic competition and geopolitical tensions. The company has laid off roughly 400 employees, informing them via email and a short video call, citing “organisational optimisation.” Affected staff were offered compensation including one month’s pay per year of service, two extra months’ salary, annual bonus, and pay through year-end, with separation agreements due by November 14.
SAS, based in Cary, North Carolina, entered China in 1999 and opened an R&D and support center in Beijing in 2005. The company had been recognized as a “Top Employer” in China for 17 consecutive years. While direct operations are ending, SAS plans to maintain a presence through third-party partners.
The exit mirrors moves by other US tech firms in China: Dell, Micron, and IBM have all scaled back or shuttered local operations amid weak demand and global restructuring. SAS’s Shanghai and Guangzhou offices are now largely empty, marking the end of its direct footprint in the mainland.
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