A defence official has revealed that the MoD is currently investigating the possible threats associated with Chinese-made cars, and staff have been advised to refrain from discussing classified information in any vehicles.
Safety Guidance for MoD Staff
During a recent interview on LBC, a defence minister addressed reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to discuss classified information while travelling in China-made cars.
He stated that the MoD is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, but emphasised that security is a issue in all modern vehicles.
We have a collection of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles account for a very small number.
But whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our staff is to avoid connecting MoD devices into their vehicle, not to have conversations at a classified level in any vehicle, because of the growing threats of surveillance that exist in all automobile, to restrict those confidential talks in secure locations. This is a prudent and sensible thing for anyone worried about safety.
After it was suggested that it would be wise for the ministry to stop using all cars from China, Pollard replied: That is exactly what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Defence Context
This revelation follows reports from Scandinavian countries have warned the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made buses, which could enable China to disable public transport and cause disruption to public transit.
Additionally, a Russian spy ship was reportedly directing laser beams at RAF pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” action by government representatives.
This broader security environment underscores the importance of strong protocols and caution in every aspects of government activities, from transport use to communication practices.
