Spain will use technology from Hikvision, a Chinese company banned in several Western countries
In 2022, the Security Department of the Spanish Presidency carried out a tender for a total of 118,580 euros to modernize the video surveillance system (CCTV) of the La Moncloa complex, incorporating technology from the Chinese firm Hikvision.
The contract was justified by the need to replace analog cameras and expand the IP video security network, although no reference was made to international warnings about the awarded company.
In a context of increasing international warnings about the use of Chinese technology in sensitive infrastructure, the government of socialist Pedro Sánchez chose to maintain its relationship with companies controlled by the Chinese Communist Party, which have been identified as representing risks to national security.
The awarding of contracts to companies such as Hikvision and Huawei is interpreted in diplomatic circles as a sign of strategic rapprochement toward the Beijing regime, which has raised concern in Washington.
The focus of the controversy is on Pedro Sánchez's decision to implement dozens of surveillance cameras from the Hikvision brand, a banned company in countries such as the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, and by the European Parliament.
These monitoring systems were installed at key locations, including the La Moncloa complex, the official residence of the president, as well as in other state agencies such as the Ministry of the Interior, Renfe, Correos, and the Tax Agency.
According to an investigation published by the outlet EL ESPAÑOL, more than 40 cameras manufactured by Hikvision, a company based in Hangzhou and linked to the Chinese intelligence apparatus, guard the perimeter of the Presidency. These devices are equipped with facial recognition and real-time tracking technology, features that, according to reports from the British Parliament, could be used for espionage purposes by the Chinese dictatorship.
For years, U.S. intelligence agencies have been warning about the risks posed by the use of Chinese-made technological equipment in critical infrastructure in Western countries. In 2019, the White House administration included Hikvision on a trade blacklist, and in 2022 banned its importation, considering it "an unacceptable national security risk."
Hikvision has positioned itself as one of the world's largest manufacturers of cameras and surveillance systems. However, its expansion has come with accusations regarding its involvement in human rights violations within China.
Several governments have expressed concern about the company's role in genocide campaigns against the Uyghur community in the Xinjiang region, where advanced surveillance technologies are believed to have been used to facilitate mass arrests and the systematic monitoring of Muslim minorities.
As a result of these allegations, the European Parliament decided in 2021 to remove Hikvision devices from its buildings. Australia also banned their use in state agencies. Denmark, meanwhile, announced in 2023 that it would replace these cameras after, in 2022, the Road Directorate invested five million kroner in the purchase of 170 units of this brand.
