UK removes Chinese surveillance cameras from government buildings

British Chancellor Rishi Sunak's government last year ordered its agencies to stop installing surveillance cameras with Chinese links in sensitive buildings.

UK Chinese surveillance cameras from government buildings image 1 — A security camera in London, England. Photo: Reuters

In a new announcement, the UK government said: "We will also publish a timetable for removing surveillance equipment made by Chinese companies from sensitive government sites."

British lawmakers have previously called for a ban on the sale and use of security cameras made by Hikvision and Dahua, two Chinese state-owned companies, over privacy concerns.

China said it "firmly opposes" over-extending the concept of national security to suppress Chinese businesses.

"The Chinese government has always encouraged Chinese companies to conduct international investment and cooperation in accordance with market principles, international rules and local laws," the Chinese embassy in the UK said in a statement.

"We urge the British government to stop political manipulation and provide a fair, just and non-discriminatory environment for Chinese companies to operate in the UK," the statement added.

The UK banned TikTok from government phones in March this year, and said in 2020 that it would ban Huawei from its 5G network. Several US states have also banned suppliers and products from several Chinese tech companies.

Trung Kien (according to Reuters)

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