Russia blocks some Chinese trucks: saying there are safety and health risks, banning import and sales

Russian regulators on Wednesday banned the import and sale of trucks from several major Chinese manufacturers, saying they posed a "direct threat" to public health and safety.

According to Rosstandart, the federal agency responsible for enforcing technical regulations and vehicle safety standards,The ban targets vehicles produced by Dongfeng, Foton, FAW and Sinotruk Shandeka.

Suspend the validity of OTTS and chassis type approvals for Dongfeng DFH4180 truck, Foton BJ4189 truck, FAW CA4250 and CA4180 trucks, Shandeka ZZHS truck and Foton M4L chassis.

In addition, based on the inspection results, the Russian Standards Bureau has also taken the same measures against Dongfeng DFH5200B trucks, Foton H5 trucks and FAW JH6-B 8X4 trucks that have obtained conformity assessment documents in other Eurasian Economic Union member states, prohibiting the circulation of these vehicles in Russia.

Problems cited by inspectors included poor braking performance and improperly installed seat belts.Russia's national standards agency said it has asked manufacturers to recall affected vehicles and stop sales or face fines.

Dealers have currently suspended sales of these marked models and are developing safety compliance plans that must be reviewed and approved by the agency.

It is understood that the relevant ban issued by Russian regulatory agencies at this time comes at a time when Russia's local automobile industry is facing an increasingly serious crisis.

last week,Russian domestic producers KAMAZ, AvtoVAZ and GAZ announced plans to implement a four-day work week in response to falling demand.

Truck manufacturer KAMAZ said the drop in demand was due to "short-sighted policies" adopted by importers who flooded the Chinese market last year.

In 2024, Sinotruk Shande Trucks accounted for nearly one-fifth of the Russian truck market, surpassing Kamaz (sales of 19,500 units and 17,300 units respectively). Chinese truck brands Shaanxi Automobile, FAW and Dongfeng also entered the top five Russian truck sales.

Russian automakers are expected to push for further restrictions on foreign vehicle imports to protect local production.