US Army base removes Chinese-made surveillance cameras
 

US Army base removes Chinese-made surveillance cameras
BY MAX GREENWOOD - 01/12/18 10:59 AM EST
RE: http://thehill.com/policy/defense/36...llance-cameras

The U.S. Army has removed security cameras manufactured by a company largely owned by the Chinese government from a military base in Missouri, the Wall Street Journal reported Friday.

The move came after the Journal reported on the prevalence of devices made by Hikvision. The Chinese government owns 42 percent of the company, which is the world's largest manufacturer of security cameras.

Col. Christopher Beck, the chief of staff at Fort Leonard Wood, told the Journal that the Army never believed the cameras were a security risk, but decided to remove them to "remove any negative perception" surrounding the products.

Beck said that the Hikvision cameras that were removed were not used to surveil high-security areas, and were used to view roads and parking lots.

Hikvision has insisted that its devices are secure, and the company has not been accused of using its devices to spy on behalf of the Chinese government.

A spokeswoman for Hikvision told the Journal that the company "believes the products it builds and distributes around the world must meet the highest standards of not only quality but also security. We stand by our products and processes."

The company has also said that it does not have access to cameras that have been sold to customers, and that the government-owned shareholder is not involved in Hikvision's day-to-day operations.