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An defence official has stated that the MoD is actively investigating the possible threats associated with Chinese-made cars, and staff have been told to avoid discussing classified information in all vehicles.

Safety Guidance for MoD Staff

During a recent interview on a radio station, Luke Pollard addressed reports that MoD officials have been told not to discuss classified material while travelling in China-made vehicles.

The minister said that the MoD is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, but noted that safety is a issue in all contemporary vehicles.

We have a fleet of tens of thousands of vehicles 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, our instruction to our people is not to plug Ministry of Defence devices into their vehicle, to avoid having discussions at a classified level in any kind of vehicle, because of the growing threats of eavesdropping that are present in every single vehicle, to restrict those secret conversations in protected areas. This is a prudent and sensible thing for anyone worried about security.

When it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to stop using every Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”

Broader Security Context

The announcement comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the presence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese buses, which could enable China to disable buses and bring chaos to public transit.

Furthermore, a Russian spy ship has been directing laser beams at RAF aircrew, labeled a “highly dangerous” act by defence officials.

This wider security environment highlights the importance of robust protocols and vigilance in every areas of government activities, from vehicle usage to discussions habits.