(Yicai Global) July 14 -- Residential compounds in Beijing, which handed out electronic bracelets to residents returning from other parts of the country for the purpose of monitoring their body temperature, have started to ask for them to be returned after the safety and purpose of wearing such devices were called into question.

The residents, who received the e-bracelets, are those returning to Beijing from municipalities such as southern city Shenzhen and Guangzhou. They told Yicai Global that no one supervises whether they actually wear the bracelets or not.

Wearing the e-bracelets is not compulsory, said a staff member at Tiantongyuan complex in the capital’s northern Changping district and added giving these devices to residents is part of Covid-19 safety protocols, which requires residents to report their daily body temperature once returning to Beijing from other places in China for 7 days.

Although the intention was to enhance Covid-19 safety protocols, suspicions were raised when, on opening the boxes, residents found that there was only a certificate of qualification inside and no safety certificate.

In many countries, only criminals are asked to wear electronic tags so that they can be tracked, said Pan Helin, researcher at the Digital Economy and Financial Innovation Research Center at Zhejiang University’s International Business School. The personal activities of Covid-19 patients’ close contacts, however, should be protected.

The bracelets were developed by Beijing Microchip Sensing Technology, which is owned by Guangxi Tencent Venture Capital, a unit of internet giant Tencent Holdings. The company's website (https://www.baecsense.com/) is currently unaccessible.

And they were made by Beijing BRIO Electronic Technology, whose largest shareholder is Beijing Brio Technology.

Editor: Kim Taylor