China bans military licence plates on luxury cars
Defence vehicles get new registrations and campaign is launched to target counterfeit plates that permit traffic privileges
The Chinese military's long and litigious affair with luxury cars is set to be tested by a ban on the use of military licence plates on 11 vehicle brands or models, according to a Ministry of Defence statement.
Under a new registration system, all military vehicles must be given new car plates by Wednesday, and blacklisted sedans include those made by Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Lincoln, Cadillac, Bentley, Jaguar and Porsche, as well as the Volkswagen Phaeton, according to a ministry website yesterday.
However, a ban on SUVs appeared more relaxed, with only the Land Rover, Porsche Cayenne and Audi Q7 appearing on the banned list for military vehicles. There appeared to be no limit on the price of SUVs or their engines, but sedans must not cost more than 450,000 yuan (HK$566,750) or have engines larger than 3.0 litres.
The statement said that the military had been urged by President Xi Jinping to be more disciplined and to improve its public image, and that the issuing of military plates needed to be reformed.
Also next month, the vehicle management department of the People's Liberation Army will launch a campaign targeting counterfeit military plates and people who abuse authentic plates. Fake plates will be identified by video at highway toll stations and plate inspectors will also randomly visit areas, such as around nightclubs, to check for military vehicles.
However, the statement did not say what would happen after Wednesday to the banned luxury vehicles that were registered with old plates, and it was unclear whether SUVs of other luxury brands would also be banned.
Professor Chen Jierong , who teaches law at Sichuan University in Chengdu , said the new regulations would probably reduce the number of luxury cars with military plates on mainland streets, but only for a while. "I am sure many expensive cars with military plates will re-emerge soon," he said. "They have been banned five times over the last few decades, but more emerged after each ban. This time will be the same."