A defense minister has confirmed that the MoD is currently investigating the potential security risks posed by Chinese cars, while personnel have been instructed to refrain from talking about classified matters in all cars.
Safety Advice for Defence Staff
During a recent interview on a radio station, Luke Pollard commented on reports that Ministry of Defence officials have been instructed not to discuss classified material while travelling in Chinese cars.
He said that the MoD is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, but emphasised that security is a issue in every modern vehicles.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones account for a very small number.
But whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our staff is not to plug Ministry of Defence devices into their car, to avoid having conversations at a classified level in any car, due to the increasing risks of eavesdropping that are present in all vehicle, to only have those secret conversations in protected areas. This is a wise and reasonable thing for anyone worried about security.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using every cars from China, the minister replied: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Security Context
This announcement follows claims from Scandinavian countries have alerted the UK to the presence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese electric buses, which could allow China to switch off buses and cause chaos to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russian intelligence vessel has been shining lasers at Royal Air Force aircrew, labeled a “extremely risky” act by government representatives.
This broader defence environment highlights the importance of robust protocols and vigilance in all areas of government operations, from transport usage to discussions practices.
