The U.S. government on December 15 added 36 Chinese companies to its export blacklist, claiming that Chinese tech company Tiandy Technologies was suspected of implementing "repression, large-scale arbitrary detention and high-tech surveillance" against Uygurs, Kazakhs and Muslims of other ethnic groups in China, and that there were "violations and abuses of human rights."

The Tianjin-based Tiandy Technologies is an intelligent surveillance solution and service provider. It integrates artificial intelligence, big data, cloud computing, Internet of Things products and cameras into safety-centric intelligent solutions. 

Xu Guixiang, spokesperson for the Xinjiang regional government, said that Tiandy Technologies is a legally registered enterprise, which strictly abides by relevant Chinese laws and regulations, and carries out technology research and development, and product services in line with domestic and international industry standards. 

The use of the company's products is to strengthen Xinjiang's informatization construction, improve the region's social governance level, and build a harmonious society where people can live and work in peace and contentment. They do not target any specific ethnic groups or groups of people, nor do they have any "human rights violations and high-tech surveillance" behaviors, Xu emphasized. 

The official said that it is common practice in the international community to use high-tech products for social governance and the U.S. leads the world in investment, research and development, and application of smart security, big data, and information platforms. 

"Are these products also designed to monitor the American citizens?" Xu asked. 

The official said that there is obviously a "double standard" that the U.S. discredits Chinese companies involved in the development of Xinjiang's technological informatization. 

"Their purpose is to suppress Chinese companies, hinder the development of Xinjiang's information industry, and undermine Xinjiang's social stability," Xu said. "We firmly oppose this."