Canada directs Chinese firm Hikvision to cease operation due to national security concerns

In a statement issued on X, Canada's Industry Minister Melanie Joly said, "The government has determined that Hikvision Canada Inc's continued operations in Canada would be injurious to Canada's national security."

She said the decision was taken after a multi-step review of information provided by Canada's security and intelligence community.

Chinese Embassy Reacts

The Chinese Embassy in Canada opposed the development and said it strongly deplored and firmly opposed the move taken against Hikvision.

In a statement, the Embassy said: "This seriously undermines the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises and disrupts and hurts the normal economic and trade cooperation between China and Canada. China strongly deplores and firmly opposes this."

"China urges the Canadian side to change course immediately, stop abusing national security and politicizing economic and trade issues, stop the unjustified suppression of Chinese enterprises, provide a fair, just and non-discriminatory environment for the normal operation of Chinese enterprises, and do more to promote the sound and stable development of China-Canada economic and trade cooperation," the embassy said.

The Embassy said it will take all necessary measures to firmly safeguard the legitimate and lawful rights and interests of Chinese enterprises.

Hikvision Comments on Development In Canada

The company told the Global Times via a statement that the Canadian government's move is allegedly based on a misinterpretation of China's National Security Law and National Intelligence Law and unjustly targets Hikvision due to the company's state-owned shareholding structure.

"Without any evidence, Canada has groundlessly accused Hikvision's operations of potentially harming its national security and demanded the closure of our Canadian subsidiary. Such actions disregard facts, lack procedural fairness and transparency and amount to discrimination and suppression of a Chinese enterprise," the company said.