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A defense official has confirmed that the MoD is actively looking into the possible security risks posed by Chinese cars, while staff have been advised to avoid discussing secret information in all vehicles.

Security Guidance for MoD Staff

During a recently aired interview on a radio station, Luke Pollard commented on reports that Ministry of Defence officials have been instructed not to discuss secret information while travelling in Chinese vehicles.

The minister stated that the MoD is “looking into” cars from China within its fleets, but noted that security is a issue in all contemporary vehicles.

Our department has a fleet of tens of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones account for a very small number.

However whether you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our staff is not to plug Ministry of Defence technology into their car, not to have conversations at a secret classification in any vehicle, because of the increasing risks of eavesdropping that are present in all vehicle, to only have those confidential talks in protected areas. This is a prudent and sensible thing for anyone concerned about security.

After it was suggested that it would be prudent for the MoD to cease using all cars from China, the minister replied: ‘That’s precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”

Broader Security Background

This announcement follows claims from Scandinavian countries have warned the UK to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese electric buses, which could allow the Chinese government to switch off buses and cause chaos to transport systems.

Additionally, a Russian spy ship has been directing lasers at RAF aircrew, described as a “highly dangerous” act by government representatives.

This broader defence environment underscores the importance of strong measures and caution in every areas of government operations, from transport usage to communication practices.