Camera's dont 'surveil' anything untill a crime has been committed. Only then do people search for active camera's and hope it was pointing the right way in day

Camera's dont 'surveil' anything untill a crime has been committed. Only then do people search for active camera's and hope it was pointing the right way in daylight or good enough infra. China esp will boast camera's everywhere as its a dictatorship but with thousands of camera's that may or may not work its like finding a needle in a haystack. Every country has a different reason for camera's and china especially has a different purpose in mind. Its not like their courts or policeforces are working on the basis of innocent until proven guilty. Being surveilled isn't the goal here, its instilling fear of possibly being surveilled (Which is highly likely). Once you've fooled the population into thinking everything they do will seen by the highest authority, that's when you're closer to the holy grail of true power.