An defence official has confirmed that the MoD is currently examining the possible security risks associated with Chinese vehicles, and personnel have been told to refrain from discussing classified matters in all vehicles.
Safety Guidance for Defence Personnel
In a recent appearance on a radio station, Luke Pollard addressed reports that MoD officials have been told not to talk about classified information while riding in Chinese cars.
The minister said that the ministry is “examining” cars from China within its vehicle pools, however emphasised that safety is a concern in every modern vehicles.
We have a fleet of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and those vehicles account for a tiny fraction.
But regardless of if you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our staff is to avoid connecting MoD devices into their vehicle, not to have conversations at a classified level in any vehicle, because of the increasing risks of eavesdropping that are present in every single automobile, to restrict those confidential conversations in secure locations. That’s a prudent and sensible thing for anyone concerned about security.
When it was put to him that it would be prudent for the MoD to stop using every Chinese vehicles, Pollard responded: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Security Background
The announcement comes as claims from Scandinavian countries have alerted the UK to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made buses, which could allow the Chinese government to disable public transport and bring disruption to public transit.
Additionally, a Russian intelligence vessel was reportedly directing laser beams at RAF pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.
This broader defence situation underscores the importance of robust protocols and caution in all areas of official activities, including transport use to communication habits.
