High-tech goods from China, such as electric vehicles or even robot vacuum cleaners, could represent a security risk, Germany’s BfV domestic intelligence agency has warned.

BfV head Sinan Selen told a hearing of parliament’s intelligence oversight committee in Berlin that the issue was of “great concern” to him.

“I already see substantial shortcomings that create potential for abuse,” he said.

Data collected via the products could be passed on to “state agencies”, he said, leading to risks including “potential shutdown of entire products.”

“In terms of resilience and availability (this) could confront us with problems,” he said.

The warning comes as sales of high-tech products to Germany are growing and Chinese manufacturers compete ever more strongly with their German counterparts.

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