An exhibit attendee observes two Chinese-made drone helicopters in Beijing last year. (Photo : Getty Images)
To further combat cross-border crimes, the Chinese government has installed more advanced monitoring systems comprised of state-of-the-art radars and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), otherwise known as drones.
"Our system has been adopted by border defense units in Xinjiang, Tibet, Yunnan and many other regions to curb illegal border crossings and drug trafficking," Southwestern Institute of Technology and Physics in Chengdu system designer Mao Weichen explained. "Users also include some airports and military bases."
"Compared with traditional border monitoring networks that mainly depend on video surveillance, our system has a wider coverage and more deterrence thanks to the use of drones and acoustic weapons," Mao added.
The new system is fitted with electro-optic devices that detect the presence of an object within its range as well as its distance from the border. Also integrated into the new system are advanced communications gear and image analysis equipment, to name a few.
The system can perform its surveillance functions 24/7, regardless of harsh weather conditions. Any movement detected will be instantaneously forwarded to border patrol officers that are simultaneously on the lookout round-the-clock.
Most border monitoring systems in several areas like Heilongjiang, Xinjiang and Guangdong are outdated. These operate on closed-circuit televisions with detection capabilities that are exponentially inferior to the new system.
"Given that cross-border crimes are frequent, it no longer works to depend on our soldiers to patrol and catch the bad guys on foot. Therefore the border defense authorities are turning their eyes on high-tech apparatus," an anonymous border defense expert shared.
The Xinhua News Agency reported last month that drug trafficking and illegal crossings along China's boundaries have increased in recent years.
