Chinese car giant Chery will use the same testing tracks as the MoD after opening a new research headquarters nearby.

The MoD uses the tracks at UTCA Millbrook in Bedfordshire – one of Europe’s largest testing centres – to test run almost all of its wheeled military vehicles, including the new Boxer armoured transporter.

There are 40 miles of specialised tracks across the 700-acre site which will next month host Defence Vehicle Dynamics, an exhibition showcasing some of the latest Army vehicles to the defence industry.

Chery has described its move to Millbrook as a ‘major expansion’ for its global research and development. 

It will use the same tracks as the MoD to test how vehicles and their chassis hold up on the road.

Chery has described its move to Millbrook as a ‘major expansion’ for its global research and development

Chinese car giant Chery will use the same testing tracks as the MoD after opening a new research headquarters nearby

Former Army Intelligence Corps Colonel Phil Ingram told the Telegraph the move concerns him ‘enormously’.

He believes the Chinese are putting themselves in the perfect position to spy on Britain’s military advancements and develop ‘further espionage ambitions’.

‘We will have a Chinese hi-tech company that produces surveillance devices in the shape of an automobile beside one of our classified military vehicle testing grounds… We need to be extremely wary of this,’ he told the newspaper.

Chery has denied any idea that they will be spying on MoD testing or stealing secret military data.

Chery’s cars previously sparked fears in Israel because 700 Chery cars, mainly Tiggo 8 Pro plug-in hybrids, were being used by the IDF.

Intelligence chiefs were concerned that China could have been using them to eavesdrop on sensitive conversations because the cars were being used by lieutenant colonels and colonels.