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A defense official has revealed that the Ministry of Defence is currently examining the possible threats posed by Chinese vehicles, and personnel have been advised to refrain from discussing classified matters in all cars.

Security Advice for Defence Personnel

During a recent appearance on LBC, Luke Pollard addressed reports that Ministry of Defence officials have been instructed not to discuss secret information while travelling in Chinese vehicles.

He said that the ministry is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, but stressed that security is a issue in all modern cars.

We have a collection of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones represent a tiny fraction.

But whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a car from another country, our instruction to our staff is not to plug Ministry of Defence devices into their car, to avoid having conversations at a secret classification in any car, due to the increasing threats of eavesdropping that are present in every single vehicle, to only have those confidential talks in secure locations. This is a wise and sensible thing for anyone worried about safety.

After it was suggested that it would be prudent for the MoD to stop using all Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: ‘That’s precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”

Broader Security Context

This announcement follows claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese buses, which could allow China to disable buses and bring chaos to public transit.

Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly directing lasers at Royal Air Force pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” action by government representatives.

The wider security environment highlights the significance of robust protocols and vigilance in all aspects of official activities, from transport usage to communication practices.