An defence official has confirmed that the MoD is currently examining the potential threats associated with Chinese-made cars, and personnel have been advised to refrain from discussing secret information in all vehicles.
Security Advice for Defence Personnel
In a recent interview on LBC, Luke Pollard commented on reports that MoD staff have been told not to talk about classified material while travelling in Chinese vehicles.
He explained that the MoD is “looking into” cars from China within its fleets, but emphasised that safety is a concern in every contemporary vehicles.
We have a fleet of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones account for a tiny fraction.
However regardless of if you’re driving a vehicle from China or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our staff is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence devices into their car, not to have discussions at a classified level in any car, due to the growing risks of eavesdropping that exist in all vehicle, to restrict those secret conversations in protected areas. This is a wise and reasonable thing for everyone worried about security.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using all cars from China, Pollard replied: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Security Context
The revelation follows reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the presence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made buses, which could allow China to switch off public transport and bring chaos to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russian spy ship was reportedly directing laser beams at RAF aircrew, labeled a “extremely risky” action by defence officials.
This broader security situation underscores the importance of strong protocols and caution in all aspects of official activities, from vehicle use to discussions practices.
