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An defence minister has revealed that the Ministry of Defence is actively examining the possible security risks associated with Chinese cars, and personnel have been told to avoid discussing secret information in all cars.

Safety Guidance for MoD Staff

In a recently aired interview on LBC, a defence minister addressed reports that MoD officials have been instructed not to discuss secret material while riding in Chinese cars.

He explained that the ministry is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, however stressed that safety is a issue in all modern cars.

We have a fleet of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones represent a very small number.

However whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is not to plug MoD devices into their car, not to have discussions at a classified classification in any kind of car, due to the growing threats of surveillance that exist in every single vehicle, to restrict those confidential conversations in secure locations. This is a wise and reasonable thing for everyone worried about security.

When it was put to him that it would be prudent for the MoD to stop using all Chinese vehicles, Pollard responded: That is precisely what we are looking into at the present time.”

Broader Security Context

This revelation follows claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made buses, which could allow the Chinese government to disable buses and cause disruption to public transit.

Additionally, a Russian spy ship was reportedly shining laser beams at Royal Air Force aircrew, labeled a “highly dangerous” act by government representatives.

This wider defence environment underscores the significance of robust measures and vigilance in all aspects of official operations, from transport usage to communication practices.