A defence official has confirmed that the MoD is currently looking into the possible security risks posed by Chinese-made vehicles, while staff have been instructed to avoid discussing classified information in all cars.
Safety Advice for MoD Staff
In a recent interview on a radio station, Luke Pollard addressed claims that Ministry of Defence staff have been told not to talk about classified information while riding in China-made cars.
He stated that the MoD is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, but emphasised that security is a concern in every contemporary cars.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones account for a very small number.
However whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a car from another country, our instruction to our people is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence technology into their vehicle, to avoid having discussions at a secret level in any car, due to the increasing threats of eavesdropping that exist in all automobile, to only have those secret talks in secure locations. This is a wise and reasonable thing for everyone concerned about security.
After it was suggested that it would be prudent for the MoD to stop using all cars from China, Pollard responded: ‘That’s precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Security Context
This announcement comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the presence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese buses, which could enable China to switch off buses and bring disruption to public transit.
Additionally, a Russian spy ship has been shining laser beams at RAF pilots, described as a “extremely risky” act by defence officials.
The wider defence situation highlights the importance of strong protocols and vigilance in all areas of official operations, from transport use to discussions habits.
