A defense minister has confirmed that the MoD is actively looking into the possible threats associated with Chinese-made cars, and personnel have been instructed to avoid discussing secret information in any vehicles.
Safety Guidance for Defence Personnel
During a recently aired interview on a radio station, a defence minister addressed reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to discuss secret information while travelling in Chinese cars.
The minister stated that the MoD is “looking into” cars from China within its vehicle pools, however stressed that security is a issue in all contemporary cars.
Our department has a collection of tens of thousands of cars in the MoD and those vehicles represent a very small number.
But whether you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our staff is not to plug Ministry of Defence devices into their car, to avoid having discussions at a secret classification in any kind of vehicle, because of the growing risks of eavesdropping that are present in all automobile, to restrict those secret talks in secure locations. That’s a wise and reasonable thing for everyone worried about safety.
After it was suggested that it would be prudent for the MoD to stop using all cars from China, Pollard responded: ‘That’s exactly what we are looking into at the present time.”
Wider Security Background
This announcement follows reports from Scandinavian countries have warned the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could enable China to disable buses and cause disruption to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel has been shining laser beams at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
This broader defence environment underscores the importance of strong protocols and caution in all areas of official operations, including transport use to communication practices.
