🔗 Share this article

An defense official has revealed that the MoD is actively investigating the potential security risks posed by Chinese-made cars, and personnel have been advised to avoid discussing classified matters in all vehicles.

Security Advice for Defence Personnel

In a recently aired interview on LBC, Luke Pollard addressed reports that MoD staff have been told not to talk about classified material while riding in China-made cars.

The minister stated that the ministry is “investigating” cars from China within its vehicle pools, but stressed that safety is a concern in all contemporary vehicles.

Our department has a fleet of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and Chinese ones account for a tiny fraction.

However regardless of if you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our staff is not to plug Ministry of Defence devices into their car, to avoid having discussions at a classified classification in any car, due to the growing threats of eavesdropping that exist in all automobile, to only have those secret conversations in protected areas. That’s a wise and sensible thing for anyone worried about security.

After it was suggested that it would be prudent for the MoD to stop using every Chinese vehicles, the minister responded: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the moment.”

Broader Defence Context

The announcement comes as reports from Scandinavian countries have alerted the UK to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese buses, which could enable China to disable buses and cause disruption to transport systems.

Additionally, a Russian intelligence vessel was reportedly shining laser beams at RAF pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.

This broader security environment highlights the significance of robust protocols and caution in all areas of government activities, including vehicle usage to communication practices.