Geopolitics Prompt U.S. to Intensify Crackdown on Select Chinese Tech Firms
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Driven by geopolitical factors, the United States is taking more measures to crack down on Chinese technology companies in areas such as surveillance technology.
A few days ago, the Wall Street Journal quoted U.S. officials as saying that the relevant U.S. authorities are considering imposing new sanctions on Chinese surveillance equipment companies that sell products to Iranian security forces because of the Iranian authorities’ increasing reliance on surveillance technology to suppress protests.
The sanctions are said to focus on Tianjin-based Tiandiweiye Technology Co., which the U.S. accuses of selling products to various units of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards. If the relevant sanctions take effect, the company could risk being shut out of the U.S. financial system and its ability to conduct business in U.S. dollars would be weakened.
The information shows that in September 2022, there was unrest in Iran over issues such as women’s rights. Subsequently, a succession of Western countries accused Iranian police of using advanced surveillance technology and plainclothes police to crack down on citizens. Previously, IPVM, a U.S. surveillance industry research organization, has repeatedly reported business activities between Iran and Tiandy, but the Iranian government has not publicly acknowledged the purchase of Chinese surveillance equipment.
In addition, U.S. officials have revealed that “as customs data show a large increase in Chinese exports of video recording equipment to Iran in 2022,” the U.S. will also evaluate and review technology companies in related fields such as Chinese surveillance technology at a broader level, with potential targets for investigation currently including Zhejiang Uniview and Hikvision.
It is important to note that this incident is not the first time the U.S. has recently taken on Chinese companies for geopolitical reasons. Previously, the commercial satellite company Changsha Tianyi was sanctioned by the U.S. for “providing satellite maps to Russia’s Wagner Group”.
It is clear that under the current geopolitical situation, the U.S. is bound to take more measures to suppress Chinese technology companies in specific areas.
