A defence minister has revealed that the Ministry of Defence is currently looking into the potential threats posed by Chinese-made vehicles, while personnel have been advised to avoid talking about classified information in all vehicles.
Security Guidance for MoD Personnel
During a recent appearance on LBC, Luke Pollard addressed reports that MoD staff have been told not to discuss secret information while travelling in Chinese vehicles.
He said that the MoD is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, but noted that security is a concern in every modern cars.
Our department has a collection of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles account for a very small number.
However whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence devices into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a secret classification in any kind of car, because of the increasing threats of surveillance that exist in all automobile, to only have those secret talks in protected areas. That’s a prudent and sensible thing for anyone concerned about safety.
When 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.”
Broader Defence Context
The announcement comes as claims from Scandinavian countries have alerted the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made buses, which could enable China to disable public transport and cause chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel has been shining lasers at RAF aircrew, labeled a “highly dangerous” act by government representatives.
This broader defence environment highlights the importance of robust measures and caution in all areas of official activities, from transport usage to discussions habits.
