A defense official has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is currently investigating the potential threats posed by Chinese-made cars, and personnel have been told to avoid talking about classified matters in any vehicles.
Security Guidance for Defence Personnel
In a recently aired interview on a radio station, Luke Pollard addressed reports that MoD staff have been instructed not to talk about classified material while riding in China-made cars.
The minister explained that the MoD is “examining” cars from China within its vehicle pools, but stressed that safety is a issue in all modern vehicles.
Our department has a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones account for a very small number.
But whether you’re traveling in 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 conversations at a classified level in any kind of vehicle, due to the growing threats of surveillance that exist in every single vehicle, to restrict those confidential talks in protected areas. That’s a wise and sensible thing for everyone concerned about security.
After it was put to him that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using all cars from China, the minister responded: ‘That’s exactly what we are looking into at the moment.”
Broader Defence Background
The revelation follows reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the presence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese buses, which could allow China to disable public transport and bring chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly directing laser beams at RAF aircrew, described as a “highly dangerous” act by defence officials.
This wider security situation highlights the importance of strong measures and caution in every areas of official operations, from transport use to communication habits.
