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An defence minister has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is actively looking into the potential security risks posed by Chinese vehicles, and personnel have been advised to avoid discussing classified matters in any cars.

Safety Guidance for Defence Staff

During a recent appearance on a radio station, a defence minister addressed claims that Ministry of Defence officials have been instructed not to talk about classified material while riding in China-made vehicles.

He explained that the ministry is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, but emphasised that safety is a concern in all modern vehicles.

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

But whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a car from another country, our instruction to our people is to avoid connecting MoD devices into their car, not to have conversations at a classified level in any kind of vehicle, because of the growing risks of surveillance that are present in all vehicle, to only have those secret conversations in secure locations. That’s a prudent and sensible thing for anyone concerned about security.

After it was put to him that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using all cars from China, Pollard responded: That is precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”

Wider Defence Context

The announcement comes as reports from Scandinavian countries have alerted the UK to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese electric buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off public transport and cause chaos to public transit.

Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly shining lasers at RAF aircrew, described as a “extremely risky” action by defence officials.

This wider security situation highlights the significance of robust measures and vigilance in every areas of official operations, from transport use to communication habits.