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An defense official has stated that the MoD is currently looking into the possible threats posed by Chinese-made cars, while personnel have been told to refrain from talking about classified matters in any vehicles.

Security Guidance for Defence Staff

During a recent interview on LBC, Luke Pollard addressed claims that Ministry of Defence officials have been told not to discuss classified information while travelling in Chinese cars.

The minister stated that the MoD is “looking into” cars from China within its fleets, but emphasised that safety is a concern in every contemporary cars.

We have a fleet of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones 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 MoD technology into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a classified level in any kind of car, due to the growing risks of eavesdropping that are present in every single automobile, to restrict those secret conversations in protected areas. This is a wise and sensible thing for everyone concerned about safety.

When it was put to him that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using all Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: ‘That’s precisely what we are looking into at the present time.”

Wider Defence Context

The revelation comes as claims from Scandinavian countries have alerted the UK to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese buses, which could allow China to disable buses and cause disruption to public transit.

Additionally, a Russia spy ship has been directing lasers at Royal Air Force pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” act by government representatives.

This wider security situation highlights the importance of robust protocols and vigilance in all aspects of government operations, including vehicle usage to communication habits.