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CHINA Big Brother

Nigel Dickinson

2018 - Ongoing

China is a country on the path to global dominance in technology and renewable energy. Big brother is watching, surveillance is everywhere, and artificial intelligence and facial recognition track and monitor all its citizens. Those who transgress can lose basic rights via the Social Credit System.

China’s leader Xi Jinping, president a second term, has a lifetime’s rule to push his idea of a rejuvenated “Stronger, Longer, Bigger” China, a country on the path to global dominance in technology and renewable energy. China is the world's largest mobile payment market, with cash obsolete, where yearly mobile payments account for 5 trillion dollars. Transactions and communications pass through mobile applications like Alipay and Wechat. All activity and data is logged and monitored. Big Brother is watching, surveillance is everywhere. China aims to have one surveillance camera per person by 2030. The government is working to create a techno-authoritarian state powered by artificial intelligence and facial recognition to track and monitor all its citizens. In a decade China plans to build a $150 billion industry by becoming a world leader in the field of artificial intelligence, and is already selling its ‘Big Brother’ surveillance technology to ‘abusive governments’. China's “Social Credit System”, expected to be fully operational by 2020, doesn't just monitor the nation's almost 1.4 billion citizens, it’s designed to control and coerce them, in a gigantic social engineering experiment, where penalties include being shamed in public, losing access to rapid trains and high speed internet. The country's 19 super regions have a proliferation of mega cities, needing extraordinary levels of energy including hi-tech renewable energy systems to run them. China’s investment in sustainable energy produces more wind, electric battery powered, hydro and solar power than other countries. Solar panels and wind turbines cover the hillsides, providing free energy for poorer citizens. Since the 1980s China also planted 66 billion trees, building a great green wall around the Gobi Desert.

China’s strict state controlled capitalism, with its hunger for development and massive construction programs, brings huge pressure to bear both on its people and the country’s resources. To keep high ratings, good citizens are obliged to venerate the state and its culture. Chinese tourists take holidays in Beijing, flocking in their thousands to Tiananmen Square, to the west, the site of student insurrections, to the Chinese a place to pay homage to Mao and witness the changing of the colours. The rest of the year, they work even harder, longer hours and invest in property for themselves and for their leader’s dream. Mega-cities explode with compulsory purchases of farmers land and destruction of villages. New apartment buildings are sold before they have been built or stand empty for ages. The rush to win markets results in intense competition between start-ups, with overproduction and waste; such as the shared-bike market, where hundreds of thousands of bicycles are placed in "bike cemeteries" outside major cities. Surveillance monitoring of ‘jay walking' tracks Chinese citizens crossing red lights, where a 3 time offence translates into a ¥20 penalty, and means points off a citizen’s social credit rating. Interactive robots begin to replace staff in banks and hotel receptions, robot waiters distribute meals in restaurants, and with facial recognition retail, no staff need be present at all...

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  • The military ceremony for the dropping of the flag at dusk. The well known square at Beijing's historic centre, with the Chairman Mao memorial hall, and entrance to the forbidden city nearby. For us in the west, memories of the student massacre at Tiananman square, for the Chinese a place to go and pay homage to Chairman Mao. Beijing, China

  • Pedestrians who jay walk or who cross when there is a red light can be fined 20 yuan when they repeat this three times. They are named and shamed after each offence. An image of their face and name appears of the video screen for all to see. This is part of a new control with face recognition camera software installation at traffic lights. Such offences and misdemeanours can contribute to a citizen's social credit rating. They lose points for a traffic ticket but gain points for an "exemplary city level heroic act". A poor social credit score can lead to bans from travel, certain schools, luxury hotels, government positions and even dating apps. Traffic lights at crossroads. Beijing outskirts. China

  • Surveillance cameras in Tiananmen square. By 2030 China will have the equivalent of one surveillance camera for every person who lives in China. The well known square at Beijing's historic centre, with the Chairman Mao memorial hall, and entrance to the forbidden city nearby. For us in the west, memories of the student massacre at Tiananman square, for the Chinese a place to go and pay homage to Chairman Mao. Beijing, China

  • Young soldiers in charge of keeping discipline in Tiananmen square. The well known square at Beijing's historic centre, with the Chairman Mao memorial hall, and entrance to the forbidden city nearby. For us in the west, memories of the student massacre at Tiananman square, for the Chinese a place to go and pay homage to Chairman Mao. Beijing, China

  • To enter the Beijing Train Station everyone has to pass by the Face recognition machines, scanning their ID papers first, then having their face scanned to make sure. Big brother is watching. Above the entrance to the station are instructions how to do this process by oneself, without help from staff.

  • Whether in the rush hour or during quiet times, the Chinese seem to spend their whole day using, watching or interacting with their mobile telephones. Hardly any conversation, and little contact with strangers. Beijing, China

  • Hema mega supermarket automatic checkout for mobile telephones. Hema mega supermarket stores offer a mixture of online and immediate purchase. Online goods should arrive fresh within 30 minutes of ordering. Staff literally run around the stores armed with digital decoders collecting customers online orders for fast delivery. Shanghai, China

  • Buying with a mobile application and QR card, even purchasing an ice lolly or ice-cream from a street vendor, its a cashless Wechat telephone transaction. Beijing, China

  • China is the world leader in renewable energy. The poorest citizens receive subsidized energy. Solar panels fields on mountain tops north of Beijing, China

  • he largest bike cemetery outside Shanghai. Bike sharing in China has multiplied over the years with brands offering bikes which can be unlocked using a mobile application, then locked and left anywhere for the next rider. Ofo and Mobike are the two world leaders. Huge bike cemeteries were created due to fierce competition between start-ups, as mountains of unused bikes filled the city streets. Hundred’s of thousands of bikes are rusting away now. Shanghai, China

  • Following Xi Jinping's lead that "China should continue to become stronger, better and larger" Rizhao construction company fulfills large building contracts for the growing city of Rizhao. The apartments have already been sold. Shandong province, China

  • Hi-tech virtual interactive environment, with 3D virtual experience in property retail, face recognition entry, unmanned operations, at the first unmanned China Construction Bank, Shanghai, China

  • Robot reception at the Dorsett Hotel. An interactive doorman and information robot welcomes customers as they enter the hotel. Shanghai, China

  • Robot waiters serve customers their food direct to their table. Kitchen staff place the plate of food on the tray and program the robot to go directly to the table, sensors enable it to move around furniture and customers. Customers enjoy this novelty attraction and often take photos or selfies with the robots. Shanghai, China

CHINA Big Brother

Nigel Dickinson

2018 - Ongoing

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