New Chinese rules for government procurement which purportedly favour products with some parts designed in China were being reassessed on Tuesday following a furore over their publication last week.

The rules, included in a circular published online last month, triggered an outcry from foreign business associations and the US government who complained that China was discriminating against foreign companies.

The guidelines affect products vying for government orders in six areas including technology, hardware, software and renewable energy. Rules demand the products be covered by patents either owned by a Chinese citizen or a company in China or one licensed under an agreement that does not allow foreigners to control or restrict the technology's further use.