An defence minister has revealed that the Ministry of Defence is currently looking into the potential threats associated with Chinese-made vehicles, and staff have been told to refrain from discussing secret matters in all cars.
Security Advice for Defence Staff
In a recent interview on LBC, Luke Pollard addressed reports that MoD staff have been instructed not to talk about classified material while riding in Chinese vehicles.
The minister stated that the MoD is “looking into” cars from China within its fleets, however noted that safety is a concern in all contemporary cars.
We have a fleet of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles account for a very small number.
However regardless of if you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is not to plug Ministry of Defence devices into their vehicle, to avoid having conversations at a classified classification in any kind of car, because of the growing threats of eavesdropping that exist in all automobile, to restrict those secret conversations in protected areas. This is a prudent and reasonable thing for anyone worried about safety.
After it was suggested that it would be prudent for the MoD to cease using all Chinese vehicles, the minister responded: ‘That’s exactly what we are looking into at the present time.”
Broader Defence Context
The revelation comes as claims from Scandinavian countries have warned the UK to the presence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off public transport and bring disruption to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly shining laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” act by defence officials.
This broader security environment underscores the importance of strong protocols and vigilance in every areas of official operations, from transport usage to communication habits.
