Despite mounting scrutiny in Western countries regarding the use of Chinese technology in critical infrastructure, Dahua and Hikvision cameras are also found in sensitive locations such as military bases in Romania and special police headquarters in Hungary
Several Central and Eastern European countries have purchased millions of surveillance cameras made by Chinese manufacturers, despite concerns over security vulnerabilities and the companies’ ties to the Chinese state. A recent survey conducted by RFE/RL across nine countries sheds light on this trend.
The report highlights the increasing reliance on Chinese-made cameras in countries that are either members of the EU and NATO or are seeking to join them. Governments in these regions, facing budget constraints, are turning to affordable options offered by Chinese companies, some of which receive state subsidies.
Although comprehensive national databases for surveillance cameras are lacking in most of these countries, available data and RFE/RL’s investigation indicate that Dahua and Hikvision, both partially state-owned Chinese firms, dominate the markets in Hungary, Serbia, Romania, Moldova, Ukraine, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kosovo, Bulgaria, and Georgia.
Experts express concerns over the security risks posed by these cameras, citing vulnerabilities that could be exploited by hackers and foreign adversaries. “The biggest distinction between these [Chinese firms] and others is that other companies don’t have such an extensive and critical catalogue of vulnerabilities to exploit,” says Conor Healy, director of government research at IPVM, a surveillance-industry research firm. “Fundamentally security is about planning for hypothetical threats, and governments and national security organizations need to be focused on this.”
Despite mounting scrutiny in Western countries regarding the use of Chinese technology in critical infrastructure, Dahua and Hikvision cameras are also found in sensitive locations such as military bases in Romania and special police headquarters in Hungary. While the United States, Britain, and Australia have banned these firms, no such restrictions exist in Europe.
However, with Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s recent visit to Europe, espionage scandals involving China, and the EU’s crackdown on Chinese trade practices, the presence of these companies in Europe raises concerns. The trajectory of European countries’ response remains uncertain, as noted by Healy.
The situation underscores ongoing debates about the balance between affordability and security in the adoption of surveillance technology, particularly in the context of geopolitical tensions and concerns over data privacy.
