UK bans China-made cameras on key sites
Beijing encourages Chinese firms abroad to comply with laws: Official
The review has concluded that, in light of the threat to the UK and the increasing capability and connectivity of these systems, additional controls are required.”
Oliver Dowden | Cabinet Office minister
The British government on Thursday told its departments to stop installing Chinese-linked surveillance cameras at sensitive buildings, citing security risks.
The decision comes after a review of “current and future possible security risks associated with the installation of visual surveillance systems on the government estate,” Cabinet Office minister Oliver Dowden said in a written statement to parliament.
“The review has concluded that, in light of the threat to the UK and the increasing capability and connectivity of these systems, additional controls are required,” Dowden said.
Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said yesterday that China has always encouraged Chinese companies operating abroad to comply with local laws.
British directive
“China firmly opposes the overstretching of the concept of national security by some people to unreasonably suppress Chinese enterprises,” Mao said. “The Chinese government will firmly safeguard the legitimate and legal rights and interests of Chinese enterprises,” Mao added.
The British directive applies to cameras made by companies subject to Chinese security laws and includes guidance for departments to disconnect such devices from core computer networks and to consider removing them altogether.
It comes months after dozens of lawmakers called for a ban on the sale and use of security cameras made by Hikvision and Dahua, two partly state-owned Chinese firms, over privacy fears and concerns of the companies’ products being linked to human rights abuses in China.
Hikvision denied the claims, saying the company will further seek to engage with British authorities to understand the decision.
“Hikvision cannot transmit data from end users to third parties, we do not manage end user databases, nor do we sell cloud storage in the UK,” a company spokesperson said.
The US has slapped trade and usage restrictions for cameras made by Hikvision, Dahua and other Chinese firms.
A majority of British public bodies use surveillance cameras made by Hikvision or Dahua, privacy advocacy group Big Brother Watch said in July.