Germany bans China's drones: How many Western countries have warned against Chinese tech?
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German military bans Chinese-made drones: defence ministry Photograph: (AFP/Representative Image)
Germany has banned Chinese-made drones from military use, including training, citing data and IT security concerns. The country will replace existing systems with domestic or European models, amid growing Western concerns over potential Chinese surveillance through technology.
The German military has banned the use of Chinese drones, including for training, and is replacing them with European models, the defence ministry said on Wednesday (Nov 11). Citing the need for data and IT security, the ministry said that “Chinese-made models will no longer be used and existing systems will be replaced by products from domestic or, where applicable, European sources.”
This comes after the US military banned China's BYD electric vehicles from its Kadena airbase in Japan's Okinawa island. According to German newspapers, the country is withdrawing the military units that were acquired with limited bureaucratic oversight. Earlier this year, Poland also banned Chinese-made vehicles from military facilities. Similarly in September, the Dutch government said that smart features built into modern vehicles – including microphones, cameras and GPS trackers – could be used by hostile states to spy on people. Alongside this, British defence firms also cautioned staff against connecting or pairing their phones with Chinese-made electric cars.
