An defense official has confirmed that the MoD is currently investigating the possible security risks associated with Chinese cars, and personnel have been told to refrain from talking about secret matters in any cars.
Safety Advice for Defence Staff
In a recent appearance on LBC, Luke Pollard commented on reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been told not to discuss classified information while travelling in China-made cars.
The minister stated that the MoD is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however noted that security is a issue in all modern cars.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and those vehicles account for a very small number.
But regardless of if you’re driving a vehicle from China or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our staff is not to plug Ministry of Defence technology into their vehicle, to avoid having discussions at a classified level in any vehicle, because of the growing risks of surveillance that are present in every single vehicle, to restrict those confidential talks in secure locations. That’s a wise and reasonable thing for anyone concerned about safety.
When it was suggested that it would be prudent for the ministry to cease using every Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: That is exactly what we are looking into at the present time.”
Wider Defence Background
The announcement follows claims from Scandinavian countries have warned the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made electric buses, which could enable the Chinese government to disable buses and cause disruption to public transit.
Additionally, a Russian spy ship was reportedly directing laser beams at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “highly dangerous” act by government representatives.
This wider defence environment underscores the importance of robust protocols and vigilance in all areas of government operations, from transport usage to communication habits.
