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A defence official has stated that the MoD is currently looking into the potential threats posed by Chinese-made vehicles, and personnel have been advised to avoid talking about classified matters in any vehicles.

Security Advice for MoD Personnel

In a recent interview on LBC, Luke Pollard addressed claims that Ministry of Defence officials have been instructed not to talk about classified information while travelling in Chinese vehicles.

The minister explained that the ministry is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, but emphasised that security is a issue in every contemporary cars.

We have a fleet of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones account for a tiny fraction.

However whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our people is not to plug Ministry of Defence technology into their car, to avoid having conversations at a secret level in any car, due to the increasing risks of eavesdropping that are present in every single automobile, to restrict those secret talks in secure locations. This is a wise and sensible thing for everyone worried about safety.

After it was put to him that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using all Chinese vehicles, Pollard responded: That is exactly what we are looking into at the moment.”

Wider Defence Background

This announcement follows reports from Scandinavian countries have warned the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese electric buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off buses and bring disruption to public transit.

Furthermore, a Russian spy ship was reportedly directing laser beams at RAF pilots, described as a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.

The wider security environment highlights the significance of strong measures and caution in all areas of government operations, from vehicle use to communication practices.