The National Pulse reports that half of London uses technology from two Chinese surveillance systems companies. Both companies, which are accused of being linked to the crackdown on Uighurs, face strict trade restrictions in the United States.
At least half of London’s boroughs rely on surveillance systems linked to the Chinese Communist Party, the report said.
“Freedom of information requests made to all 32 London councils and the next 20 largest British city councils at the end of 2020 found that about two-thirds of councils, have technology made by two Chinese companies that are accused of being linked to the crackdown on Uighurs,” according to Reuters.
At least 28 councils used technology from Hikvision, a manufacturer and supplier of video surveillance equipment with deep ties to the Communist Party because of its status as a state-owned enterprise.
What’s more, the company has been identified by the U.S. Department of Defense as a military agent of the Chinese Communist Party, and many fear that data recorded by the company’s surveillance equipment could easily fall into the hands of the Chinese Communist government.
Reuters added that “seven councils have adopted technology from Zhejiang Dahua Technology Co Ltd, the second-largest manufacturer of surveillance equipment in China. A total of 16 London borough councils have adopted technology from either Hikvision or Dahua – both companies face strict trade restrictions in the United States.” Reuters added: “Six London boroughs and three other councils did not respond to requests for information about their contacts with Chinese companies or deny having enough data to publish what they have deployed. “
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