A defense official has confirmed that the MoD is actively looking into the potential security risks posed by Chinese-made cars, and staff have been told to refrain from discussing secret information in all vehicles.
Safety Guidance for MoD Personnel
In a recent appearance on a radio station, a defence minister commented on claims that MoD staff have been instructed not to talk about secret information while riding in China-made vehicles.
He said that the ministry is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, however stressed that security is a concern in every contemporary vehicles.
Our department has a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones represent a very small number.
However whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our people is to avoid connecting MoD devices into their car, not to have discussions at a classified level in any kind of vehicle, because of the growing threats of surveillance that are present in all vehicle, to restrict those secret talks in secure locations. That’s a prudent and sensible thing for anyone worried about safety.
When it was put to him that it would be prudent for the ministry to stop using every cars from China, Pollard responded: That is precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”
Broader Defence Context
The revelation follows claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made electric buses, which could enable China to disable buses and cause chaos to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russia spy ship was reportedly shining lasers at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “extremely risky” act by defence officials.
This wider security environment highlights the importance of strong protocols and vigilance in every areas of official activities, from vehicle use to communication practices.
