Australia’s Defense Department To Remove Chinese-made Surveillance Cameras

Australia's Defense Department announced on Thursday, Feb. 9, that it will remove surveillance cameras that were made by companies with ties to the Chinese Communist Party, according to a report by AP.

The decision follows similar moves that were made by the US and Britain.

Chinese-made Surveillance Tech

The Defense Department, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and other agency offices will remove around 913 cameras, electronic entry systems, video recorders, and intercoms that were produced by Chinese companies Dahua and Hikvision, as reported first by The Australian newspaper.

These two companies are partly owned by the Chinese government.

Richard Marles, the defense minister for Australia, stated that his agency is currently reviewing all of its surveillance equipment.

Mao Ning, a spokeswoman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, denounced "wrongful practices" that abuse national security and utilize state authority to "suppress and discriminate" Chinese firms when asked about Australia's recent move.

"We hope Australia will provide a fair and non-discriminatory environment for the normal operation of Chinese enterprises and do more things that are conducive to mutual trust and cooperation between the two sides," Ning said in a statement quoted by AP.

The US made a similar move in November 2022 when it announced that it was prohibiting video surveillance and telecommunications tech from Chinese companies such as Hikvision and Dahua to safeguard the country's communications network.

British government buildings also banned security cameras produced by Hikvision in November of last year.

Hikvision and Dahua cameras and security apparatus were discovered in almost every department in Australia, with the exception of the departments of agriculture, the prime minister, and the cabinet.

The National Disability Insurance Agency and the Australian War Memorial have also declared that they will take down the Chinese cameras discovered at their locations.

China National Intelligence Law

James Paterson, a spokesman for the opposition's cybersecurity team, claimed that his inquiries to each federal agency over a six-month period prompted the audit after the Home Affairs Department was unable to specify the number of cameras and other surveillance tech present in government facilities.

Paterson called for an immediate plan from the government to take down these devices from every department and agency in Australia.

He also noted that Hikvision and Dahua are subject to China National Intelligence Law, which means that they are required to work with Chinese intelligence agencies when called upon.