An defense minister has stated that the MoD is actively investigating the potential security risks associated with Chinese-made vehicles, while staff have been advised to avoid discussing classified matters in any cars.
Safety Guidance for Defence Personnel
During a recent interview on LBC, Luke Pollard commented on reports that MoD staff have been instructed not to discuss secret information while travelling in Chinese cars.
The minister said that the ministry is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however emphasised that safety is a issue in every modern cars.
Our department has a collection of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles account for a very small number.
However regardless of if you’re driving a Chinese car or a car from another country, our instruction to our people is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence devices into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a classified level in any kind of vehicle, due to the growing risks of eavesdropping that are present in every single vehicle, to only have those confidential talks in protected areas. That’s a wise and reasonable thing for anyone concerned about security.
When it was put to him that it would be prudent for the MoD to stop using all cars from China, Pollard responded: That is precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Defence Context
This revelation follows reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made buses, which could allow the Chinese government to switch off public transport and bring disruption to public transit.
Additionally, a Russian intelligence vessel was reportedly shining lasers at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
The broader security environment underscores the importance of robust measures and vigilance in all aspects of government activities, from transport usage to discussions practices.
