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Based on security considerations, the US military banned BYD vehicles from entering Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, without providing details. The move also reflects national security concerns of the United States and the West about Chinese-funded smart vehicle technology.
Japan The Japan Times reported on the 26th that the US military ordered a ban on Chinese automakers due to security concerns.BYD (BYD) manufactured vehicles enter Kadena Air Base in Okinawa. The ban took effect on the 26th. Currently, the restriction only applies to Kadena Base. It is unclear whether this will be extended to other US bases in Japan. Kadena Base is one of the largest US Air Force installations in Japan.
The U.S. Forces in Japan (USFJ) did not explain the specific reasons for this decision, and Kadena Air Base did not respond to media interview requests.
USFJ spokesman John Severns said: “Base commanders have a responsibility to protect their personnel, facilities and assigned missions and to implement legitimate security measures based on risk information that are necessary to mitigate credible threats.”
The report pointed out that before the ban on Kadena Air Base, the United States and other Western countries had expressed concerns about smart technology used by Chinese car brands such as BYD, MG and Jaecoo.
The Dutch government warned in security guidelines issued in late September this year that modern technologies used in vehicles could be used by state actors for espionage activities, including GPS, microphones, cameras, entertainment systems, Bluetooth connections, etc.
The United States issued sanctions last year saying that if it determined that certain Chinese vehicles and related hardware and software could pose a threat to national security, their sales would be banned. In June this year, the Pentagon added BYD to the blacklist of 188 “Chinese military industrial companies”, prohibiting direct procurement or contracting with these companies.
Kadena Base is the center of US military operations in Japan. The US military’s medium-range missile system “Typhon” (Typhon), which can launch Tomahawk cruise missiles to a range of 1,600 kilometers, is currently stored at Kadena Base after being deployed earlier this year to participate in joint military exercises.
Summary FAQ
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The report states that the US military has imposed this ban for security reasons, but the US military in Japan has not disclosed the specific reasons. The spokesperson said only that base commanders have the responsibility to take legal security measures based on risk information.
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The ban took effect on the 26th and currently only applies to Kadena Air Base in Okinawa. According to the report, it is unclear whether the US military will impose the same restrictions on other bases in Japan.
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Because modern technologies such as GPS, microphones, cameras, entertainment systems, and Bluetooth connections in vehicles can be used by state actors for surveillance or espionage activities, both the Netherlands and the United States have expressed relevant national security concerns.
