Chinese tech giant responds to spying allegations – RT World News
Hikvision denied it could provide UK customer data to third parties
Chinese telecommunications giant Hikvision has dismissed claims that Beijing may be using its products for espionage, following Britain’s decision to restrict the use of its security cameras on government sites.
In a statement to news agencies, Hikvision, the world’s largest video surveillance provider, said it was “categorically false” present it as a security threat.
“Hikvision is an equipment manufacturer that has no visibility into end-user video data,” the company said, adding that it cannot pass data on to third parties.
We do not maintain end user databases or sell UK cloud storage.
The company’s equipment is widely used in the UK. According to a 2021 Reuters report, at least half of London’s boroughs had cameras made by Hikvision or Dahua, another Chinese telecommunications giant.
British Cabinet Minister Oliver Dowden announced on Thursday that officials had been instructed not to install Chinese-made CCTV equipment at “sensitive sites” or link them with “departmental central networks”. He cited security risks, suggesting that Beijing could use the devices for spying purposes.
The US Federal Communication Commission (FCC) meanwhile updated its blacklist on Friday, banning the sale or import of surveillance equipment by Hikvision, as well as Huawei, ZTE, Dahua and Hytera. The FCC also cited national security threats to explain the decision.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning told reporters on Friday that Beijing “always encourage” Chinese companies must abide by local and international laws. “We strongly oppose attempts by some people to deliberately overstretch the concept of national security to exhaust Chinese companies,” he added. she said, promising that Beijing will defend the interests of its companies abroad.
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