A defence minister has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is actively looking into the possible security risks posed by Chinese-made cars, and staff have been instructed to avoid talking about classified matters in all cars.
Security Advice for MoD Personnel
During a recent interview on a radio station, Luke Pollard addressed claims that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to discuss classified information while riding in China-made cars.
He explained that the MoD is “looking into” cars from China within its vehicle pools, however noted that safety is a issue in every modern vehicles.
We have a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and those vehicles represent a very small number.
However regardless of if you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence devices into their car, to avoid having conversations at a classified level in any kind of car, due to the growing risks of eavesdropping that are present in all automobile, to only have those confidential talks in protected areas. This is a prudent and reasonable thing for everyone worried about safety.
When it was put to him that it would be prudent for the MoD to stop using all cars from China, the minister responded: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Wider Security Background
The announcement comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow the Chinese government to switch off public transport and cause disruption to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russian intelligence vessel has been directing laser beams at RAF pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” act by defence officials.
The broader defence situation underscores the significance of robust protocols and caution in all areas of government activities, from vehicle usage to communication habits.
