8 months ago
US Tech Enables China's Surveillance in Nepal
China is using high-tech cameras and tracking systems to watch Tibetan refugees in Nepal.
These tools were originally developed with help from American companies.
The cameras are everywhere, making it hard for Tibetans to live freely.
Many Tibetans are leaving Nepal because they feel like they're in a big digital prison.
The Chinese government says it's not doing anything wrong, but the refugees and some experts disagree.
This is part of a bigger problem where Chinese companies are selling these surveillance tools to many countries around the world.
China uses U.S.-originated surveillance tech to monitor Tibetan refugees in Nepal, with thousands of CCTV cameras installed across the country.
The number of Tibetan refugees in Nepal has dropped drastically due to tight border controls, Nepal's ties with China, and unprecedented surveillance.
Chinese firms like Hikvision and Dahua, which are on the U.S. Entity List, use cloud services from Amazon Web Services (AWS) to expand their operations.
U.S. tech companies historically transferred technology to China, either voluntarily or under pressure, enabling China's global surveillance exports.
Tibetan refugees in Nepal face severe restrictions, including difficulty obtaining legal documents, and live under constant surveillance, leading many to leave the country.
- Who
- Tibetan refugees in Nepal, Chinese and Nepali authorities, U.S. tech companies, Chinese tech firms
- What
- China's use of U.S.-originated surveillance technology to monitor Tibetan refugees in Nepal
- Where
- Nepal, particularly Kathmandu and border regions with Tibet
- When
- Ongoing, with significant developments in 2012, 2016, and 2024
- Why
- China's efforts to control Tibetan dissent and influence global surveillance markets, with U.S. tech companies facilitating through partnerships and cloud services
Key facts
- Countries with Chinese Surveillance Tech
- 150+
- Tibetan Refugees in Nepal (Est.)
- 10,000 or less
- Nepal's 'Safe City' Project Start Year
- 2016
- Chinese Police Aid to Nepal
- Tens of Millions (USD)
- Hytera's Gift to Nepal
- $5.5 Million in Police Equipment
- U.S. Companies Involved
- Amazon, HP, Intel, Nvidia, IBM, Cisco, Motorola
- Chinese Companies Involved
- Hikvision, Dahua, Uniview, Hytera, Huawei
- Key Surveillance Tech
- CCTV, Facial Recognition, AI Tracking, Digital Trunking
Quotes
Sheena Greitens
A political scientist at the University of Texas at Austin.
“It's got a set of solutions that it's happy to share with the world that nobody else can offer.”
NDTV
“(But) they're certainly exporting the tools and techniques that are very important to authoritarian rule.”
NDTV
A 73-year-old Tibetan hotel owner
A Tibetan hotel owner in Nepal who spotted a Chinese observation dome near the border.
“It's the great big eye in the sky. For Tibetan refugees, Nepal has become a second China.”
NDTV
“Now you can only be Tibetan in private.”
NDTV
A retired Nepali officer
A retired Nepali officer who participated in a mission to collect police radios from Chinese authorities.
“They didn't give us the money. They gave all the hardware. All Chinese.”
NDTV
“We understood their mindset. A secure border.”
NDTV
Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs
The official statement from the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
“Attempts to use Tibet-related issues to interfere in China's internal affairs, smear China's image, and poison the atmosphere of China-Nepal cooperation will never succeed.”
NDTV
Sonam Tashi
A former Tibetan activist and father trying to get his son out of Nepal.
“There are cameras everywhere. There is no future.”
NDTV
Namkyi
A Tibetan refugee who was arrested at 15 for protesting Chinese rule.
“They know they are being watched. Even though we are free, the surveillance cameras mean we're actually living in a big prison.”
NDTV
Charles Mok
A Hong Kong IT entrepreneur and former lawmaker now living in exile as a research scholar at Stanford.
“Few realized the U.S. shouldn't be selling the software to China because they might copy it, they might use it for these types of surveillance and bad stuff. Nobody was quick enough to realize this could happen.”
NDTV
Rapke Lama
A Tibetan refugee who was arrested in Tibet and later returned to Nepal.
“Even now, I'm scared. I wear masks when wandering the streets, because of that lingering fear.”
NDTV
Sources
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