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Notes from Poland is run by a small editorial team and is published by an independent, non-profit foundation that is funded through donations from our readers. We cannot do what we do without your support.
Chinese cars have been banned from entering certain military bases in Poland over concerns that their sensors could be used for gathering data. One report has also suggested that a Tesla electric vehicle was turned away.
The Polish government has confirmed that it is working on even broader measures to prevent the entry of Chinese cars from all military sites. In response, China has called on Poland not to “abuse the concept of national security”.
Szpieg na czterech kołach? Chińskie samochody z zakazem wjazdu do wojskowych jednostek
MON przyznaje, że sprawą interesują się Służby Kontrwywiadu Wojskowegohttps://t.co/pKxcVK2u08
— Bartosz T. Wieliński 🇵🇱🇪🇺🇺🇦🇬🇱 (@Bart_Wielinski) January 19, 2026
Last week, news website Interia first reported that military personnel driving Chinese vehicles were being barred from entering some facilities as a result of tightened security requirements regarding the protection of military sites and critical infrastructure.
Modern cars are fitted with an array of sensors that gather data, and there are fears that Chinese manufacturers may share that data with the Chinese authorities.
Subsequently, news service CyberDefence24 reported that it had been informed of a case in which the driver of a Tesla had been denied entry to the base of the 1st Warsaw Armoured Brigade. The driver was specifically informed that he was barred from entering because of the Tesla.
Paulina Uznańska, deputy head of the China department at the Centre for Eastern Studies (OSW), told Interia that Tesla produces some of its vehicles in China and also operates a data centre there.
Ciekawe.
Amerykańska Tesla i samochód chińskiej marki nie wjechały na tereny należące do Wojska Polskiego. Jeden z żołnierzy dopełnił wszystkie formalności, lecz spotkał się z odmową.
„Masz Teslę to nie wjedziesz” – mówi informator.https://t.co/iSTvBqdk7J
— Jakub Wiech (@jakubwiech) January 16, 2026
The defence ministry later confirmed to Interia that the Military Counterintelligence Service (SKW) had in 2025 “issued guidelines on how to protect military facilities in connection with threats resulting from the use of various devices manufactured in China”.
Last year, the 2022 Homeland Defence Act was toughened, with new guidelines on its ban on producing or transmitting images or video of locations of particular importance for national security or defence.
Those restrictions “also apply to all vehicles equipped with image and sound recorders”, noted the ministry in its comments to Interia. “In accordance with applicable regulations, the commander of a military unit has the right to make an autonomous decision to grant or refuse consent in this respect.”
Poland has issued new guidelines for a photography ban at locations of particular importance for national security.
Anyone without a permit taking photos at an estimated 25,000 sites will face a fine, arrest or confiscation of equipment https://t.co/CIZXYqntmi
— Notes from Poland 🇵🇱 (@notesfrompoland) April 15, 2025
In a further statement to the Polish Press Agency (PAP), the ministry also confirmed reports that it is working on a more comprehensive policy “to restrict the entry of Chinese-made vehicles into the protected military units and facilities”.
Broadcaster Polskie Radio reported, citing sources, that the measures would see Chinese vehicles banned not only from military bases themselves, but even from, for example, car parks nearby.
In response to those reports, the spokesman for China’s foreign ministry, Guo Jiakun, told PAP that Beijing had “taken note” of the issue and he warned that “the abuse of the concept of national security must be stopped”.
Sales of Chinese cars in Poland rose rapidly in 2025. In December, 9,821 were registered in the country, over four times more than in the same period a year earlier, according to data cited by broadcaster RMF. Over 2025 as a whole, Chinese brands accounted for 14.5% of all newly registered passenger cars.
Notes from Poland is run by a small editorial team and published by an independent, non-profit foundation that is funded through donations from our readers. We cannot do what we do without your support.
Main image credit: Maciej Bednarek/Pixabay
Daniel Tilles is editor-in-chief of Notes from Poland. He has written on Polish affairs for a wide range of publications, including Foreign Policy, POLITICO Europe, EUobserver and Dziennik Gazeta Prawna.
