An defence official has confirmed that the MoD is actively looking into the potential security risks posed by Chinese-made cars, and staff have been instructed to refrain from discussing secret matters in all cars.
Security Advice for Defence Staff
In a recently aired appearance on LBC, Luke Pollard commented on claims that Ministry of Defence officials have been instructed not to discuss secret information while travelling in Chinese vehicles.
He stated that the MoD is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, however noted that safety is a concern in all contemporary cars.
We have a fleet of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and those vehicles represent a tiny fraction.
However regardless of if you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our people is not to plug MoD devices into their car, to avoid having discussions at a secret classification in any kind of car, due to the increasing risks of surveillance that exist in every single vehicle, to only have those secret talks in protected areas. That’s a prudent and sensible thing for everyone concerned about security.
After it was suggested that it would be prudent for the MoD to cease using all cars from China, the minister responded: That is precisely what we are looking into at the present time.”
Wider Security Context
This revelation comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the existence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made buses, which could enable China to disable public transport and cause disruption to public transit.
Additionally, a Russian intelligence vessel was reportedly directing lasers at RAF pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
This broader defence situation underscores the significance of strong protocols and caution in all areas of official operations, including vehicle use to communication habits.
