A defense minister has confirmed that the MoD is actively looking into the possible threats posed by Chinese-made cars, and personnel have been told to refrain from discussing secret matters in any cars.
Safety Advice for Defence Staff
During a recent interview on a radio station, Luke Pollard commented on reports that MoD officials have been told not to discuss classified material while riding in China-made vehicles.
The minister said that the ministry is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, however noted that security is a issue in every contemporary cars.
Our department has a collection of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones account for a very small number.
But whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is not to plug Ministry of Defence technology into their car, to avoid having discussions at a classified classification in any kind of car, because of the growing risks of surveillance that are present in every single automobile, to only have those secret conversations in secure locations. This is a prudent and sensible thing for everyone concerned about safety.
After it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using all Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: ‘That’s precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Security Background
The announcement comes as reports from Scandinavian countries have alerted the UK to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made buses, which could allow the Chinese government to disable buses and bring disruption to public transit.
Additionally, a Russian intelligence vessel was reportedly shining lasers at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.
This wider defence situation highlights the importance of strong protocols and caution in all aspects of government activities, including vehicle use to communication practices.
