A defense minister has revealed that the Ministry of Defence is currently examining the potential security risks posed by Chinese-made cars, while personnel have been instructed to refrain from discussing classified matters in all cars.
Safety Guidance for Defence Staff
During a recent interview on LBC, Luke Pollard commented on reports that Ministry of Defence officials have been told not to talk about classified information while travelling in Chinese vehicles.
He explained that the MoD is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, but emphasised that safety is a issue in all contemporary cars.
Our department has a fleet of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and those vehicles represent a tiny fraction.
But regardless of if you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our people is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence devices into their vehicle, to avoid having discussions at a secret level in any kind of car, due to the growing threats of eavesdropping that are present in all vehicle, to restrict those confidential talks in secure locations. This is a prudent and reasonable thing for everyone concerned about safety.
After it was suggested that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using all Chinese vehicles, the minister responded: That is exactly what we are looking into at the moment.”
Broader Defence Context
This announcement comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow China to switch off public transport and cause chaos to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russian intelligence vessel has been directing laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” act by government representatives.
This wider security situation highlights the importance of strong protocols and caution in every areas of official activities, from vehicle usage to communication practices.
