Overview
- The 18th Wing said on Monday that BYD vehicles are banned from entering Kadena, stating commanders judged the cars present “unacceptable risks” to service members and mission operations.
- Officials have not released a start date for the ban or provided technical evidence to back the decision, and the 18th Wing said the measure followed a thorough consultative process.
- Multiple news reports say U.S. concerns focus on vehicle cameras and sensors that could record activity on the base and potentially transmit information off site.
- Kadena is a forward U.S. air hub for contingencies involving China, Russia and North Korea, and the Department of Defense has recently reviewed ties between some Chinese firms and China’s military.
- The ban could prompt similar rules at other U.S. bases in the region and will affect personnel who own BYD cars, since base commanders have authority to set installation access rules.