Thousands of CCTV cameras from China now monitor Tibetan refugees in Nepal, stifling the Free Tibet movement, according to an Associated Press investigation. The surveillance technology, exported by Chinese firms to at least 150 countries, is based on US-developed technology, often acquired through market access demands or copying.
The investigation found that Amazon Web Services provides cloud services to Chinese tech giants Hikvision and Dahua, both on the US Entity List for national security and human rights concerns. AWS said it complies with US law and does not offer surveillance infrastructure, while Hikvision and Dahua denied involvement in repression.
Chinese technology firms now offer complete surveillance and digital infrastructure packages with few restrictions. China promotes its low crime rate as a global model, but experts say it exports tools essential for authoritarian rule.
The number of Tibetans fleeing to Nepal has dropped to single digits annually, attributed to tight border controls, warming Nepal-China ties, and unprecedented surveillance. A 2021 Nepali government report revealed Chinese-built surveillance systems in Nepal, including in border buffer zones where construction is banned.
China’s foreign ministry denied coercing Western companies or surveilling Tibetans, calling the claims a fabrication. The Nepali government and Chinese-controlled Tibetan authorities did not respond to requests for comment.
