World
US Military Base in Okinawa Bans BYD Vehicles Over Security Concerns
The United States Air Force 18th Wing at Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, Japan, announced a ban on all vehicles manufactured by the Chinese electric‑vehicle company BYD, effective this week. The restriction covers privately owned cars, taxis and delivery vehicles. Base security personnel have been instructed to block BYD vehicles at the gates and to ask drivers to turn around. The ban follows the Pentagon’s June addition of BYD to a list of 188 Chinese firms it believes have ties to the Chinese military, a move that prompted a protest from Beijing. The decision comes amid broader U.S. efforts to limit Chinese technology in vehicles and other devices that could potentially be used for espionage. BYD, which overtook Tesla as the world’s largest battery‑electric vehicle seller in 2025, has not yet responded publicly to the Kadena ban. The base, the largest U.S. air force installation in East Asia, hosts key assets such as the Typhon missile system, fighter aircraft and aircraft used for mid‑air refuelling, surveillance and reconnaissance. The ban is part of a wider strategy by the United States and other Western countries to restrict Chinese smart technology in vehicles, mobile phones and other devices. Reuters