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An defense official has revealed that the MoD is actively investigating the possible security risks posed by Chinese vehicles, and personnel have been advised to avoid talking about classified matters in all cars.

Safety Guidance for Defence Staff

In a recent appearance on a radio station, a defence minister addressed reports that Ministry of Defence officials have been instructed not to discuss classified information while riding in China-made cars.

The minister explained that the ministry is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, but noted that safety is a concern in all modern cars.

Our department has a fleet of tens of thousands of vehicles in the MoD 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 not to plug Ministry of Defence devices into their car, not to have conversations at a secret level in any kind of car, due to the increasing risks of eavesdropping that exist in every single vehicle, to only have those secret conversations in secure locations. That’s a wise and sensible thing for everyone worried about safety.

After it was suggested that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using all cars from China, Pollard replied: ‘That’s exactly what we are looking into at the present time.”

Broader Defence Background

This announcement follows claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the UK to the presence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese electric buses, which could allow China to switch off public transport and bring disruption to transport systems.

Additionally, a Russian spy ship was reportedly shining lasers at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.

This wider security situation highlights the importance of strong protocols and vigilance in every areas of government activities, from transport use to communication habits.