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An defense minister has stated that the Ministry of Defence is actively examining the possible security risks posed by Chinese cars, and personnel have been advised to refrain from talking about secret matters in any vehicles.

Security Advice for Defence Personnel

During a recent appearance on LBC, Luke Pollard addressed reports that MoD officials have been instructed not to discuss classified information while riding in Chinese vehicles.

The minister said that the ministry is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, but noted that security is a concern in every modern cars.

We have a fleet of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and those vehicles account for a tiny fraction.

But regardless of if you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a car from another country, our instruction to our staff is not to plug MoD technology into their car, not to have discussions at a secret level in any car, because of the growing threats of surveillance that are present in all vehicle, to restrict those confidential talks in protected areas. This is a wise and sensible thing for everyone worried about security.

When it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to stop using every Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: That is exactly what we are looking into at the moment.”

Broader Security Context

The announcement comes as reports from Scandinavian countries have warned the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made buses, which could allow China to switch off public transport and cause disruption to public transit.

Furthermore, a Russia spy ship was reportedly shining laser beams at Royal Air Force aircrew, labeled a “extremely risky” act by defence officials.

The wider defence environment underscores the importance of strong protocols and vigilance in all aspects of official activities, from transport use to communication practices.