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A defence official has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is currently investigating the potential threats associated with Chinese cars, while personnel have been advised to refrain from talking about secret matters in all cars.

Security Guidance for Defence Staff

During a recent interview on LBC, a defence minister addressed claims that Ministry of Defence officials have been instructed not to discuss secret information while travelling in China-made cars.

He stated that the MoD is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, but stressed that safety is a issue in every contemporary cars.

We have a fleet of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles account for a very small number.

However regardless of if you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our people is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence technology into their car, to avoid having conversations at a classified level in any kind of vehicle, due to the growing risks of surveillance that are present in every single automobile, to only have those confidential talks in protected areas. That’s a prudent and sensible thing for everyone worried about security.

When it was put to him that it would be prudent for the ministry to stop using every Chinese vehicles, Pollard replied: ‘That’s exactly what we are looking into at the present time.”

Wider Security Background

This announcement follows reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the presence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese buses, which could allow China to switch off public transport and cause chaos to transport systems.

Furthermore, a Russian spy ship was reportedly directing lasers at Royal Air Force aircrew, labeled a “extremely risky” act by government representatives.

This broader security situation highlights the importance of strong protocols and vigilance in all aspects of official activities, including vehicle usage to communication practices.