Originally published August 12, 2007 at 12:00 AM | Page modified August 12, 2007 at 2:06 AM
Hi-tech surveillance to eye Chinese
At least 20,000 police surveillance cameras are being installed along streets here in southern China and will soon be guided by sophisticated...
The New York Times
SHENZHEN, China — At least 20,000 police surveillance cameras are being installed along streets here in southern China and will soon be guided by sophisticated computer software from an American-financed company to recognize automatically the faces of police suspects and detect unusual activity.
The program will start this month in Shenzhen, a city of 12.4 million. Most citizens will also be issued a residency card fitted with a powerful computer chip programmed by the same company.
Data on the chip will include not just the citizen's name and address but also work history, educational background, religion, ethnicity, police record, medical insurance status and landlord's phone number. Even personal reproductive history will be included, for enforcement of China's controversial "one child" policy. Plans are being studied to add credit histories, travel payments and small purchases charged to the card.
Security experts describe China's plans as the world's largest effort to meld cutting-edge computer technology with police work to track the activities of a population and fight crime. But they say the technology can be used to help the Communist Party retain power by maintaining tight controls on an increasingly prosperous population at a time of increasing street protests.
"If they do not get the permanent card, they cannot live here, they cannot get government benefits, and that is a way for the government to control the population in the future," said Michael Lin, vice president for investor relations at Florida-based China Public Security Technology, the company providing the technology.
China Public Security has raised much of the money to develop the system's technology from two investment funds in Plano, Texas: Pinnacle Fund and Pinnacle China Fund.
Copyright © 2007 The Seattle Times Company
Obama seeks equal partnership in Asia
NYC trial for 9/11 suspects poses risks
Fort Hood gunman contacted Pakistan, lawmaker says
Immigration on White House agenda

Opening day at Crystal Mountain
Skiers crowded the slopes at Crystal Mountain for one of the resort's earliest openings.
nwjobs

Post a comment

Michelle Goodman blogs about work/life balance.
How to tell your office you're gravely ill
Post a comment
nwautos

Choosing a new sedan? Weigh the impact of your choice on your wallet and on the planet.
Post a comment
- Homeless man, 46, arrested in Greenwood arsons
- Steve Kelley | ESPN's Bill Simmons gets us: He hates Clay Bennett, too
- KVI talk radio host off the air as of Thursday
- Police investigate videotaped arrest
- Seattle U. Men's Hoops | Big recruit goes from Huskies to Redhawks
- Razor found in muffin an accident, 'mortified' baker says
- Mariners sign Jack Wilson to 2-year contract
- Suspect's family shaken by slaying of police officer
- Mountlake Terrace woman reports razor in muffin
- Ivar's undersea billboards a hoax devised as marketing ploy
- Police investigate videotaped arrest
630 - Seattle man to pack a pistol into community center to protest mayor's ban
185 - Light rail to airport to begin Dec. 19
177 - GOP clueless as families struggle with health care
161 - KVI talk radio host off the air as of Thursday
127 - ESPN's Bill Simmons gets us: He hates Clay Bennett, too
125 - Mariners sign Jack Wilson to 2-year contract
113 - Prosecutor weighs death penalty in police slaying
103 - Wright State game thread
97 - Person of interest in custody in connection with Greenwood arsons
94
- Light rail to airport to begin Dec. 19
- Homeless man, 46, arrested in Greenwood arsons
- Ivar's undersea billboards a hoax devised as marketing ploy
- Steve Kelley | ESPN's Bill Simmons gets us: He hates Clay Bennett, too
- Washington in race for federal education funds
- KVI talk radio host off the air as of Thursday
- Goodwill's Glitter Sale is Nov. 14-15
- Police investigate videotaped arrest
- Boeing: 787 fix is complete on first plane
- Seattle U. Men's Hoops | Big recruit goes from Huskies to Redhawks





