China reacts to Poland's plan to ban Chinese cars from military areas
China's foreign ministry spokesman has suggested Poland is abusing the concept of national security after reports that the Polish armed forces are planning to ban Chinese-made vehicles from entering military facilities.
In response to a question from PAP, Guo Jiakun said at a regular press briefing on Monday that China had acknowledged the reports, adding that the country always believed that the abuse of the concept of national security should be halted.
Last week, Poland's defence ministry press services confirmed that preparations were underway to limit the entry of Chinese-manufactured vehicles to protected military areas.
According to unofficial reports, Gen. Wieslaw Kukula, the head of Poland's General Staff, is expected to issue an order banning the entry and parking of such vehicles in the immediate vicinity of military facilities.
The planned decision stems from concerns over information security. Modern electric cars are equipped with multiple sensors and cameras that collect detailed data about the vehicle's location and its surroundings. Paulina Uznanska of Poland's Centre for Eastern Studies think tank pointed out in a report that such data could be of interest to foreign intelligence services and that the vehicles could, in theory, be used to carry out remote attacks.
Similar measures have already been introduced in other countries. The United Kingdom has imposed restrictions on Chinese vehicles near sensitive sites, while Israel has removed leased Chinese cars from fleets used by officers.
Warsaw's planned move mirrors steps taken by Beijing itself. Since 2021, the Chinese authorities have been limiting the access of US-made Tesla vehicles to military facilities, citing national security and data-protection concerns. (PAP)
jd/jch
