This week, a letter was sent by Chairman John Moolenaar (R-MI) and Ranking Member Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) of the House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the U.S. and Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to FBI Director Kash Patel. The letter urges the FBI to stop certifying products from Chinese military-linked companies that may be used for surveillance on Americans or to bolster China’s surveillance capabilities.
Currently, the FBI certifies biometric devices from 32 Chinese companies, including Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology Co., Ltd., also known as Hikvision. “Including these products on the Certified Products List grants these companies the FBI’s seal of approval,” wrote Chairman Moolenaar and Ranking Member Krishnamoorthi in their letter. They argue this could mislead potential buyers into believing these products are safe, increasing their chances of being purchased by U.S. government entities despite security concerns.
The letter points out several issues with Hikvision: it was placed on the Entity List by the Department of Commerce in 2019 due to human rights violations in Xinjiang; it is barred from receiving federal contracts under Section 889 of the FY2019 National Defense Authorization Act because its video surveillance equipment poses a national security risk; and it was designated in 2021 under Executive Order 13959 as linked to China’s military-industrial complex.
This action is part of a broader effort by the Select Committee to combat technology linked to China’s military and protect American data. “We are ready to work with the FBI to ensure that our nation’s technological infrastructure remains secure from potential foreign threats,” concludes the letter.
