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A defense official has revealed that the MoD is currently looking into the possible security risks posed by Chinese vehicles, while personnel have been told to refrain from talking about secret matters in all cars.

Safety Advice for Defence Staff

During a recent appearance on a radio station, Luke Pollard commented on claims that Ministry of Defence staff have been told not to discuss classified material while travelling in Chinese cars.

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

We have a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and Chinese ones represent a very small number.

However regardless of if you’re driving a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our staff is not to plug MoD technology into their car, not to have conversations at a secret level in any vehicle, because of the growing threats of surveillance that exist in all vehicle, to only have those secret talks in protected areas. This is a wise and reasonable thing for everyone worried about security.

After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the ministry to stop using all Chinese vehicles, Pollard replied: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”

Broader Defence Background

The revelation comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have alerted the UK to the presence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made buses, which could allow the Chinese government to switch off public transport and cause disruption to transport systems.

Furthermore, a Russian intelligence vessel has been directing laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.

This wider defence environment underscores the significance of robust measures and caution in all areas of official operations, from vehicle usage to communication habits.