Chinese Surveillance System Tracks Foreign Journalists Including Israelis Using Advanced AI

A recent investigation has revealed a sophisticated Chinese surveillance system that monitored over 300 foreign journalists and numerous other foreign nationals within China. Cybersecurity researcher and journalist Mark Hooper discovered this sensitive, publicly accessible database in 2024, which contained his own personal information, including a photo taken by Chinese immigration authorities, passport number, and phone number used during his stay. The database, dubbed the "Dynamic Overseas Personnel Control Platform," appears to have been developed for Chinese police use and tracks real-time movements of foreign residents and visitors.

The system monitored individuals from Hong Kong, Taiwan, international students, and foreign tourists from countries such as Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the UK, and the US. It also flagged residents from countries China designates as "key states," including Israel, Egypt, Iran, Morocco, Pakistan, and Sudan. The platform collected extensive data, including flight and train histories with seat numbers, hospital visits, fuel payments, and even created "connection networks" by analyzing people captured together on surveillance cameras.

Hooper, a former foreign correspondent in China, downloaded as much data as possible from the platform over several months until it was taken offline in May 2024. The exposed system demonstrates an unprecedented level of intelligence gathering by Chinese authorities, combining artificial intelligence technologies without public oversight. The surveillance extended to tracking foreign citizens' movements in residential areas, restaurants, shopping centers, supermarkets, and even near mosques.

This revelation highlights growing concerns about the use of advanced tracking technologies by state security agencies to monitor foreign nationals, raising significant privacy and human rights questions.