A defence minister has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is currently looking into the possible threats posed by Chinese cars, while staff have been told to refrain from discussing classified matters in all vehicles.
Security Guidance for Defence Staff
In a recent interview on LBC, a defence minister commented on claims that MoD staff have been told not to talk about classified information while riding in Chinese vehicles.
The minister explained that the MoD is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however stressed that safety is a concern in all contemporary cars.
Our department has a fleet of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones represent a tiny fraction.
However whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our people is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence technology into their vehicle, not to have conversations at a classified level in any kind of car, because of the growing threats of surveillance that are present in every single vehicle, to restrict those confidential talks in protected areas. That’s a prudent and sensible thing for anyone concerned about security.
When it was suggested that it would be prudent for the MoD to stop using every Chinese vehicles, Pollard replied: ‘That’s precisely what we are looking into at the present time.”
Wider Defence Context
The announcement comes as claims from Scandinavian countries have alerted the UK to the presence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese electric buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off buses and bring disruption to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia spy ship was reportedly directing lasers at RAF aircrew, described as a “extremely risky” act by defence officials.
The broader security environment underscores the importance of strong protocols and vigilance in every aspects of government operations, from vehicle use to communication practices.
