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A defense official has stated that the MoD is currently looking into the possible security risks associated with Chinese-made cars, and staff have been advised to refrain from talking about classified matters in all vehicles.

Security Advice for Defence Staff

In a recently aired interview on LBC, Luke Pollard commented on claims that Ministry of Defence officials have been told not to talk about classified material while travelling in Chinese vehicles.

The minister explained that the ministry is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, however stressed that security is a issue in all contemporary cars.

Our department has a collection of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and Chinese ones account for a very small number.

However whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our people is to avoid connecting MoD technology into their vehicle, to avoid having conversations at a classified level in any kind of vehicle, because of the increasing risks of eavesdropping that exist in every single vehicle, to restrict those secret conversations in secure locations. This is a wise and sensible thing for anyone worried about safety.

After it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to stop using all Chinese vehicles, Pollard responded: That is exactly what we are looking into at the present time.”

Broader Security Background

The announcement comes as claims from Scandinavian countries have warned the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made buses, which could enable the Chinese government to disable buses and cause disruption to transport systems.

Additionally, a Russian spy ship was reportedly shining laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” act by government representatives.

The broader defence environment highlights the importance of strong protocols and caution in every areas of government operations, from transport use to discussions practices.