New Surveillance Report Allegedly Exposed Huawei's Darkest Secret

Following the damaging leak of the China Cables, a hoard of documents unmasking the truth of the surveillance regime executed in Xinjiang to subdue the minority Uighur people, Chinese tech titan Huawei allegedly becomes entangled in the controversy. The technology of the company has been associated with Xinjiang before. But, it has always maintained that it was done through third-parties and that it is not involved at all. But, a devastating report discovered by Forbes reveals it is far worse than that.

The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists recently published the “ China Cables,” which includes the status reports and operating manuals for the detention camps and surveillance ecosystem of Xinjiang. A consistent theme of the use of far-reaching technology to achieve its goal reeks throughout. This includes intrusive data collection, AI-based surveillance, as well as general and smartphone monitoring.

Following the leaked report, the Australian Strategic Policy Institute released a report on the significant technology providers of the said region. It appears that the Chinese tech giant Huawei is at the front and center of all these, the report reveals. The Chinese company’s work in Xinjiang is extensive and involves directly working with the public security bureaus of the Chinese Government in the region, the report notes.

During debates about 5g technology and Huawei, the company’s role in Xinjiang should be taken into consideration, the report suggests. Huawei is not the only tech giant embroiled in the Xinjiang controversy, ByteDance is also allegedly involved. The company is the owner of TikTok and is accused of executing public security and Internet social governance model in the controversial region in full strategic cooperation agreement with China’s Ministry of Public Security’s Press and Publicity Bureau.

Huawei is more noteworthy than ByteDance, according to Forbes. The allegations against ByteDance aligns with its current US issues, for Huawei, however, its ongoing standoff with the US government overshadowed Xinjiang and turned the focus on claims that the Chinese government is in control of the company, as well as the risk that Huawei collects intel on its behalf, Forbes states. Huawei, though, has been consistent in denying the allegations and has maintained the ‘we are independent’ card.