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An defense official has stated that the MoD is actively examining the potential security risks posed by Chinese vehicles, while personnel have been instructed to refrain from talking about classified information in any vehicles.

Security Guidance for Defence Personnel

During a recent appearance on LBC, a defence minister commented on reports that MoD staff have been instructed not to talk about secret material while riding in Chinese cars.

He said that the ministry is “looking into” cars from China within its vehicle pools, but noted that safety is a concern in all contemporary cars.

Our department has a collection of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones account for a tiny fraction.

But whether you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a car from another country, our instruction to our people is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence devices into their vehicle, to avoid having conversations at a classified level in any kind of car, due to the growing threats of surveillance that are present in all vehicle, to only have those confidential talks in protected areas. This is a prudent and sensible thing for everyone worried about security.

After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the ministry to cease using all cars from China, Pollard responded: ‘That’s precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”

Broader Defence Context

This revelation follows claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese electric buses, which could enable China to switch off public transport and cause chaos to public transit.

Additionally, a Russia spy ship has been directing lasers at Royal Air Force aircrew, labeled a “extremely risky” action by defence officials.

This broader security situation underscores the importance of robust measures and caution in all aspects of government activities, including vehicle usage to discussions practices.