Hikvision

DOD-Restricted Chinese-Owned Tech Sold on U.S. Navy Bases + 4 Recommendations

Posted on by China Tech Threat
While the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party is investigating how Chinese nationals have gained access to U.S. military installations, China Tech Threat is releasing our own policy memo on an equally concerning issue: How companies substantially owned by Chinese entities have effectively deployed their products inside the Department of Defense. Over the last decade China has become the United States’ top adversary, increasing their attempted espionage and surveillance against the U.S. government. Despite the known risks presented by Chinese technology companies, state and federal government agencies have continued to have relationships with Chinese owned and operated companies such as Lenovo, Lexmark, Hikvision, and DJI. As a recent example, the U.S. Navy continues to maintain a relationship with… Read More

Indiana Is 4th State in 2023 to Enact a Law Prohibiting Dangerous Chinese Tech

Posted on by China Tech Threat
On May 1, Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb signed a law to prohibit the purchase of dangerous Chinese technology that could put the state and its sensitive data at risk of intrusion by the People’s Republic of China (PRC). In doing so, Indiana joins the growing list of states that have enacted similar bills in recent weeks, including Idaho, South Dakota and Arkansas. Introduced by State Senator Justin Busch, Senate Bill 477 prohibits the “purchase of equipment or services produced or provided by certain prohibited persons determined to be a national security threat to communications networks or supply chains,” including China. The new law prohibits companies from bidding on contracts if the company: “would be able to directly or remotely access… Read More

UPDATE: New Arkansas Law Prohibiting Contracts with China Is Progress, But Loopholes Need Closed

Posted on by China Tech Threat
[Updated] On April 12, Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders signed into law  HB 1789, a bill to prohibit contracts with the People’s Republic of China (PRC). Introduced by Representative Mindy McAlindon and State Senator Gary Stubblefield, the bill demonstrates a commitment by Arkansas leaders to protect sensitive data from PRC intrusion and advances a growing trend of new state laws in 2023 (joining Idaho and South Dakota). However, one significant loophole presented during the legislative process renders the new law powerless and must be corrected when the state legislature reconvenes in 2024. When introducing the bill, Rep. Mindy McAlindon said “HB1789 is designed to protect Arkansas and Arkansans from the undue influence of the Communist Party of China. Arkansas has… Read More

Heritage Report Address China’s Aspirations of Tech Dominance, Part 2 of 2: State Tech Purchases

Posted on by China Tech Threat
Today CTT releases our summary – Part 2 of 2 – of some of a new Heritage Foundation report, “Winning the New Cold War: A Plan for Countering China.” Today’s post focuses on prohibiting U.S. state government purchases of Chinese technology.  *  *  * “In July 2022, the National Counterintelligence and Security Center issued a bulletin warning that “Leaders at the U.S. state, local, tribal, and territorial levels risk being manipulated to support hidden PRC agendas….The advisory concluded that ‘geopolitical reality has placed state and local officials in the United States on the front lines of national security.” (p. 66) Engage State and Local Governments The Heritage paper does an excellent job of identifying and offering policy solutions for various… Read More

New Report Links YMTC with Known Chinese Human Rights Violator

Posted on by China Tech Threat
One year ago, a Hikvision-focused website noted that YMTC chips were being used in Hikvision products. This may not seem like a big deal on the surface – one Chinese company working with another company. It is a big deal. Why? Hikvision, an Entity Listed Chinese surveillance technology giant that’s complicit in some of the worst crimes against humanity of the 21st century, contains chips from YMTC, a “bellwether semiconductor firm” that’s on the path to the Entity List itself. Adding fuel to bipartisan calls to finally put YMTC on the Entity List is a new report from teardown specialist Tech Insights. EE News Europe reports, “‘Tear-down’ specialist Tech Insights has found an example of an YMTC (Xtacking 3.0) 232-layer… Read More

Entity-Listed Hikvision Stays in the News for Complicity in Human Rights Abuses

Posted on by China Tech Threat
This week the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation released an explosive new trove of documents detailing more of the Chinese government’s horrific abuses of Uyghur Muslims inside Xinjiang. The Commerce Department wisely added Hikvision, the Chinese surveillance technology giant, to the Entity List in 2019 for complicity in the Xinjiang nightmare – some of the worst crimes against humanity of the 21st century. In April, IPVM published a video entitled “Hikvision Cameras in My Concentration Camp Cell.” In it, a former concentration camp prisoner named Ovalbek Turdakun described how a Hikvision camera watched over him and 22 other prisoners held in a cramped cell, with devices even positioned over the toilet. When IPVM showed him the Hikvision logo, he instantly… Read More

U.S. Sanctions Set to Bite Hikvision – But Bigger China Tech Threats Like YTMC Still Loom

Posted on by China Tech Threat
The Financial Times reports that the U.S. government is preparing to sanction Hikvision, the Chinese surveillance technology giant. If enacted, these sanctions would cause an untold number of companies and foreign governments to run the risk of being sanctioned themselves, should they continue to use Hikvision equipment. There will be no choice but for companies and governments to rip and replace Hikvision technologies. This news of potential U.S. government action is certainly welcome. Not only could it help to stifle the Chinese government’s campaign of surreptitiously gathering mass quantities of data on the world’s citizens, but given that Hikvision has been known to put storage particles from YMTC in its gear, it could also  impact the chipmaker with deep ties… Read More