The use of the technology in Britain has long been criticised by civil liberties groups such as Amnesty International, and faces a blanket ban in the European Union.

The law will allow companies to transfer some users' data abroad while giving the government power to seek information from firms and issue directions to block content on the advice of a data protection board.

While the programme is aimed at finding information on non-Americans living outside the US, their communications with US persons are also gathered in the database.

British lawmakers have called for a ban on the sale and use of security cameras made by Hikvision and Dahua, over privacy fears and concerns of the companies' products being linked to human rights abuses in China.

Western officials have long warned of cyber threats from rival powers such as Russia or China, but the proliferation of hack-for-hire firms is attracting growing concern.

A meeting between Antony Blinken and Wang Yi is said to be possible at the Munich Security Conference, which runs from Feb 17 to 19.

The US government denies China's accusation that high-altitude balloons had flown over its airspace without permission more than 10 times since the beginning of 2022.

The checks come after Britain in November asked its government departments to stop installing Chinese-linked surveillance cameras at sensitive buildings, citing security risks.

The Chinese foreign ministry says the device is of 'a civilian nature and used for flight tests'.

Many National Olympic Committees say they will provide their athletes and staff with temporary devices to avert security risks and combat any surveillance during the Games.

The Justice Department has maintained that it launched the surveillance programme for objective reasons, not because those being watched were Muslims.

The team is part of an international mission enforcing UN sanctions on Pyongyang, flying surveillance trips from the US Futenma base in Japan's Okinawa.