Here’s what you need to know about Hikvision, the camera maker behind China’s mass surveillance system
- Hikvision has been a supplier to hundreds of government-led surveillance projects in major cities including Shanghai, Hangzhou and Urumqi
Big brother in China is watching you, and there is a good chance that it is watching through a camera made by Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology, one of the world’s largest suppliers of video surveillance equipment. Here’s what you need to know about Hikvision.
What does Hikvision do?
Founded in 2001, Hikvision has morphed from a former Chinese government research institute into a US$39 billion business specialising in professional video surveillance cameras.
Headquartered in Hangzhou in eastern China and listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange, Hikvision has been a supplier to hundreds of government-led surveillance projects in major cities including Shanghai, Hangzhou and Urumqi, where its cameras can take clear shots of vehicles and passengers even in poor visibility conditions. Hikvision expanded into the consumer space in 2013 with EZVIZ, a brand that makes surveillance equipment for the home and office.
Who owns Hikvision?
Around 42 per cent of the company is controlled by state-owned enterprises, with China Electronics Technology HIK Group owning 39.6 per cent of the company as the biggest shareholder.