The UK government has banned the use of Hikvision and Dahua security cameras in or on government buildings, suggesting that they pose a threat to the UK’s national security.
Partly owned by the Chinese government, Hikvision and Dahua are two of the biggest CCTV providers in the world, and according to a report by Big Brother Watch, over 60% of all public bodies in the UK use Hikvision and Dahua surveillance.
In a statement made to the UK Parliament last week, Oliver Dowden, Cabinet Office Minister, stated that “in light of the threat to the UK and the increasing capability and connectivity of these systems, additional controls are required”.
Dowden added: “Departments have therefore been instructed to cease deployment of such equipment onto sensitive sites, where it is produced by companies subject to the National Intelligence Law of the People’s Republic of China.”
Departments have also been told to disconnect any such equipment that is connected to departmental core networks and that equipment should be removed and replaced “where is it deployed on sensitive sites rather than awaiting any scheduled upgrades”.
Earlier this year, MPs called for a ban on the sale and use of Hikvision and Dahua surveillance cameras in the UK due to alleged human rights abuses in China’s Xinjiang region.
Various reports state that a Hikvision spokesperson has said “it is categorically false to represent Hikvision as a threat to national security”. The company has said that it wishes to speak with the UK government urgently to understand the decision and clear up any misunderstandings about tis business.