A defence minister has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is currently looking into the potential security risks posed by Chinese vehicles, and personnel have been advised to refrain from talking about classified information in all vehicles.
Security Advice for Defence Staff
In a recent appearance on a radio station, Luke Pollard addressed claims that MoD officials have been told not to discuss classified information while riding in China-made cars.
He explained that the MoD is “looking into” cars from China within its fleets, but emphasised that safety is a concern in all modern vehicles.
Our department has a fleet of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones account for a tiny fraction.
However regardless of if you’re driving a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our staff is not to plug MoD devices into their car, not to have conversations at a classified classification in any kind of vehicle, due to the growing risks of surveillance that are present in every single vehicle, to restrict those secret conversations in secure locations. This is a wise and reasonable thing for everyone worried about security.
After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the ministry to stop using all Chinese vehicles, Pollard replied: ‘That’s precisely what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Wider Security Context
This revelation follows claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the UK to the presence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made buses, which could allow China to switch off public transport and bring disruption to public transit.
Additionally, a Russian spy ship has been directing lasers at RAF pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” act by defence officials.
This wider defence environment underscores the importance of robust protocols and caution in every aspects of official operations, from vehicle use to communication habits.
