Chinese CCTV Cameras on UK Sites Are Now Banned: Here’s Why

The United Kingdom banned Chinese CCTV surveillance cameras from the United Kingdom government.

On top of that, government officials have reportedly been told to consider ditching current Chinese surveillance cameras.

UK Bans Chinese CCTV Cameras on Government Sites

As per the latest news story by BBC, UK government departments could no longer install new surveillance cameras from Chinese firms.

The latest move comes as China now requires firms to cooperate with the security services of Beijing.

And as such, the UK has told its government departments to stop installing Chinese surveillance systems in their sensitive sites. So it turns out that new video cameras from China would no longer be seen on these facilities in the British nation.

Here's Why the UK Banned Chinese Surveillance Cameras

The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Oliver Dowden, issued a statement announcing the ban on Chinese CCTV cameras. He further explained why they decided to do such a move.

According to a recent report by The Register, Dowden serves as the second most senior member in the cabinet.

The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster states that "the government estate has concluded that, in light of the threat to the UK and the increasing capability and connectivity of these systems, additional controls are required."

So it appears the UK is banning Chinese surveillance cameras amid security concerns.

In turn, Dowden says that "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."

The Register notes in its report that the announcement did not specify which Chinese video cameras are affected by the ban.

However, the news outlet states that it might include brands like Dahua and Hikvision. It is worth noting that British politicians previously urged banning these manufacturers in the country.

BBC reports that the spokesperson of the UK prime minister explained why the government did not order officials to remove all existing Chinese camera systems.

The prime minister's spokesperson says it was "under constant review, and this is a preventative step that's been taken with that approach."

Given that, officials were only told to consider removing existing systems. But on top of that, the government reportedly asked them to disconnect Chinese surveillance cameras from their core networks.

This article is owned by Tech Times

Written by Teejay Boris