Chinese Regime Bans Tesla Cars in City Where Government Leaders Will Meet Over Espionage Suspicions

Authorities Showed Their Suspicion With Models That Have Numerous Cameras, Although They Limit Themselves to Saying That These Are Measures of “National Issues.”

Fear of Espionage? For at least two months starting July 1, Tesla cars will be banned from entering the coastal Chinese district of Beidaihe, home to a secret annual government leadership conclave, a local traffic police chief told Reuters last Monday (07/04).

The restrictions in Chengdu on Tesla cars, which were not officially announced, came to light after videos were posted on social media, in which the police diverted Tesla cars from certain areas.

Check Out the Video Below

The decision by Chinese authorities comes just weeks after Tesla vehicles were also banned from certain streets in the central city of Chengdu in early June, coinciding with a visit from Chinese President Xi Jinping to the city.

The head of the Beidaihe Traffic Police Brigade, who did not want to give his name, disagreed with the regime’s measure but said they were “national issues.” The responsible person said that an announcement will be made soon.

Beidaihe, a beach resort east of Beijing, traditionally hosts a summer conclave of senior Chinese leaders, where personnel movements and political ideas are discussed behind closed doors. China generally does not formally announce the dates of the meeting.

All Data Generated by Tesla Cars Sold in China is Stored in the Country.

Last year, the Chinese military banned Tesla cars from entering its complexes, citing security concerns due to the cameras installed in the vehicles, Reuters reported at the time, citing sources who had seen the directive.

Elon Musk then stated that Tesla cars do not spy on China or anywhere else, and that the company would be out of business if it did. Months later, Tesla stated that all data generated by the cars it sells in China would be stored in the country.

Automakers are increasingly equipping their vehicles with cameras and sensors that capture images from the car’s surroundings. Controlling how these images are used and where they are sent and stored is an emerging challenge for the industry and regulators worldwide.

Tesla cars have multiple external cameras to assist drivers with parking, lane changes, and other functions.

(With information from Reuters / By Zhang Yan, Brenda Goh, and Kevin Huang)