UK Blocks Chinese Acquisition of Smart Camera Technology in 1st Use of National Security Law

Britain's Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng delivers a speech at the launch of the campaign of Foreign Secretary Liz Truss (not seen) to become the next leader of the Conservative Party, in London, on July 14, 2022. Justin Tallis/AFP via Getty Images

The UK has blocked a Chinese company from acquiring smart camera technology from a British university, in the first use of the government’s new national security powers.

British Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng announced on July 20 that he had issued an order (pdf) under the National Security and Investment Act to block Beijing Infinite Vision Technology Co. (BIVT) from buying the vision-sensing technology from the University of Manchester.