🔗 Share this article

A defense official has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is currently examining the potential security risks posed by Chinese vehicles, and personnel have been instructed to avoid talking about secret matters in all cars.

Safety Advice for MoD Personnel

During a recent interview on a radio station, Luke Pollard commented on claims that MoD officials have been instructed not to talk about secret material while travelling in Chinese vehicles.

He said that the MoD is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, however emphasised that security is a concern in every contemporary cars.

Our department has a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and Chinese ones account for a tiny fraction.

However whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our people is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence devices into their car, to avoid having discussions at a classified level in any kind of car, due to the growing threats of surveillance that exist in every single automobile, to restrict those confidential conversations in protected areas. That’s a prudent and reasonable thing for everyone concerned about safety.

When it was put to him that it would be prudent for the MoD to stop using every Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: That is exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”

Broader Security Context

This announcement comes as reports from Scandinavian countries have alerted the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese electric buses, which could allow China to switch off public transport and cause chaos to public transit.

Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly shining lasers at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.

This broader defence situation underscores the importance of strong measures and vigilance in all areas of official operations, from transport usage to communication practices.