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A blacklist of Chinese companies which could potentially pass on data from police drones and body cameras to Beijing should be created, politicians have said. Senior MPs, led by Alicia Kearns, Conservative chair of the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee, say that China is subsidising firms to help them win lucrative public sector contracts in the UK, which include supplying equipment to forces.
Under Chinese law, businesses must hand over data or images to the Communist government when they demand it.
Now Ms Kearns has tabled a series of amendments to the Procurement Bill which would require the Government to name “high-risk” suppliers which pose a threat to national security.
Public bodies would be barred from buying goods or services from businesses on the list without special permission.
The MP for Rutland and Melton said: “China is trying to gather as much data as possible.
“The way in which they do that is often by subsidising technologies, and by getting into the public sector – everything from nuclear sites to prisons, schools, hospitals, government buildings.
“You can’t expect these services to take responsibility for national security. They are not equipped to do it. So I am trying to build some resilience into our systems.”
Two-thirds of police forces have purchased drones from China, while many have also sourced body cameras from Chinese firms.
Other deals with Chinese firms include an agreement between Milton Keynes Council and Chinese telecoms firm Huawei to create a 5G “smart city”. The scheme was cancelled in 2021.
E-commerce giant Alibaba agreed a similar deal with Bournemouth before that was also dropped.
Ms Kearns said: “All of these companies are signed up to Article Six of the Chinese Communist Party’s National Security Law, which means they have to supply all the data they have when asked.
“So, for example, Chinese drones are filming all over the country. You have got Chinese-made body cameras filming inside people’s homes, with police officers wearing them on their chests. All this data could be sent to China.”
She added she is “very hopeful” the amendments will be accepted by the Government.
Rishi Sunak described China as a “challenge” when he launched the Government’s Integrated Review of security and defence last month.
The Prime Minister said: “China poses an epoch-defining challenge to the type of international order we want to see, both in terms of security and values.”
However, he has resisted pressure from some Tories who want him to go further and officially label China a “threat” in a similar way to Russia.
Meanwhile, former Home Secretary Priti Patel has backed calls for Chinese firms to be prevented from supplying surveillance equipment in the UK.
Her proposed amendments are backed by other prominent committee chairs.
These include Tobias Ellwood, Conservative chair of the Commons Defence Committee, Caroline Nokes, Tory chair of the Women and Equalities Committee, Tim Loughton, Conservative chair of the Home Affairs Committee, and Darren Jones, Labour Chair of the Commons Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee.
