The municipality of Amsterdam will remove 1,280 Chinese security cameras from the city

The municipality of Amsterdam will remove more than 1,200 cameras from the city that come from Chinese companies such as Hikvision and Dahua. Although the cameras are affordable and offer good quality, there are concerns about espionage and human rights violations by the manufacturers.

Alexander Scholtes, councilor for ICT & Digital City, says that the municipality of Amsterdam wants to replace the 1,280 Chinese-made cameras within five years. Due to the high depreciation costs and the costs of changing current contracts, the cameras are not removed at once, AT5 reports. Scholtes believes that the municipality is sending a 'strong signal' by finding alternatives to Chinese camera systems.

The removal of the cameras is partly due to concerns about espionage. The General Intelligence and Security Service, or AIVD, has previously warned that China has aimed an 'offensive cyber program' at the Netherlands. Some of the cameras are also said to be located near 'sensitive buildings', such as police stations and government buildings, which poses security risks. In addition, the cameras are said to be manufactured in regions where human rights are violated, such as forced labor of the Uyghur minority in China.