China, the world’s second largest economy, is building a large-scale surveillance state through the use of millions of cameras equipped with facial recognition software. Surveillance cameras are mounted on light poles, outside buildings as well as roads, which help identify each person’s face.
Some of China’s largest technology companies are involved in surveillance camera deployment projects across the country. Not stopping there, this technology is being exported abroad when Chinese technology companies want to expand the global market.
Chinese technology companies, including Huawei, Hikvision, Dahua and ZTE, provided artificial intelligence surveillance technology at 63 at the Carnegie World Peace Research Institute in September. nation. Of these, 36 are registered to join China’s famous Belt and Road Initiative. Huawei, China’s largest telecommunications group, is the largest supplier of surveillance technology to many countries.
A number of projects called "smart cities", including surveillance technology, are being implemented in Western countries, especially Europe, such as Germany, Spain and France.
The risk from Chinese technology
Experts have issued a warning about possible risks behind Beijing’s surveillance technology, including the possibility of data being collected by Chinese authorities.
“I know sometimes there are statements that say,“ when we deploy this technology, we will not use them in a negative way, but we use them to provide services, or we use use them in a perfectly acceptable way in our society. ” However, we cannot be sure of this, because the difference is not how the technology is implemented, but who has access to the data provided by those technologies. bring. If it’s a Chinese company like Huawei, the data will be transferred to China and can be used by the government the way they want it, ”said Samantha Hoffman, a researcher at the Network Center of the Strategic Policy Institute. Australia (ASPI), told CNBC.
Hoffman also cited Chinese law stipulating that Chinese companies must transfer data to the government if required. Although Hoffman did not accuse Huawei of misconduct, Hoffman used Huawei as an example to support her judgment.
“I think we cannot even understand the overall scale of the problem we are facing regarding Chinese surveillance technology when they are exported. It is not simply that other governments can use surveillance technology in the same way (China), but that when surveillance technology is exported, the Chinese government has also attached the benefits of surveillance. they come in, ”says Hoffman.
Maya Wang, a China researcher, has warned that the risk of Chinese surveillance technology being transferred to other countries.
"I think a worse future is possible, when governments implement this technology and add this tool to their existing toolbox to monitor people," Wang said.
The ASPI report earlier this year also highlighted concerns about China’s export of surveillance technology, including the risk of weakening democracies, access to new technologies, and military intervention. the.
“From both domestic and international perspective, China plans to use technology (surveillance) as a way to protect and expand its power. Globally, the risk lies in the fact that China is seeking to reshape global dominance in the direction of ensuring its strength, ”said Hoffman.
Face recognition technology has faced waves worldwide. In the US, lawmakers in California last month banned local police from using facial recognition software in cameras.
Earlier this year, the Financial Times reported that the European Commission was also considering drafting a new regulation on facial recognition technology. Microsoft executives in January said he welcomed the new rules on the use of facial recognition technology.
Chinese technology companies are currently stuck in a trade war with the United States.
Huawei, the world’s largest telecommunications equipment manufacturer, has been blacklisted and banned access to U.S. technology. Washington has accused Huawei of being linked to the Chinese regime, which could be used by Beijing for surveillance purposes, jeopardizing U.S. national security.
The US government earlier this week also imposed sanctions on 28 Chinese entities, including technology companies. Hikvision and Dahua, two companies that produce surveillance equipment such as cameras, were subject to sanctions by Washington.
