Poland considers ban on Chinese-made cars entering its military bases

Poland’s Deputy Defense Minister Cezary Tomczyk (Bloomberg image)

• Poland may ban Chinese-made cars from military sites over security concerns
• Chinese car brands' market share in Poland rose to 8.2 percent last year
• Israel imposed a similar ban citing espionage risks from vehicle electronics

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Poland may ban Chinese-made cars from entering military facilities in an effort to protect its security, according to a deputy defense minister.

The country’s defense establishment has been exchanging information on the risks posed by the “cars heavily equipped with electronics” as it considers restricting their access, Deputy Minister Cezary Tomczyk told Polskie Radio 24 on Tuesday.

Tomczyk declined to say when a final decision would be taken, adding that further details on the issue could remain classified for security reasons.

Poland has maintained trading ties with China even as Beijing sided with Russia over its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Warsaw has repeatedly blamed Moscow for a series of hybrid attacks on its territory.

Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Guo Jiakun said on Monday that Beijing had “noted” earlier reports on Poland’s possible decision and that “national security should not be overstretched.”

Chinese car brands more than quadrupled their market share in Poland to 8.2% last year from 2% in 2024, according to the Polish Auto Industry Association PZPM. The group expects the figure will “quickly” rise to 15% amid favorable pricing, PAP newswire reported on Tuesday.

SAIC Motor Corp.’s MG brand, Chery Automobile Co.’s models and BYD Co. led sales in Poland among Chinese auto manufacturers.

Tomczyk’s words come after heightened expert scrutiny of the issue. In December, the Center for Eastern Studies, a Warsaw-based think tank, published a report warning about espionage risks posed by the vehicles.

Israel’s military issued a similar ban on Chinese-made cars last year amid concern about leaked information from their sensors and cameras, Bloomberg earlier reported.

Asked whether he’s worried the cars would be used for surveillance, Tomczyk said “it’s not a possibility we need to be worried about — it’s a fact.”