Minister Says Ministry of Defence Investigating Security Risk from Chinese Cars, with Staff Instructed to Avoid Confidential Discussions in Cars.
An defence minister has stated that the Ministry of Defence is actively looking into the potential security risks posed by Chinese vehicles, and personnel have been advised to avoid talking about secret information in all cars.
Safety Guidance for Defence Staff
In a recent appearance on LBC, Luke Pollard addressed claims that Ministry of Defence officials have been told not to discuss classified material while travelling in China-made cars.
He stated that the MoD is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however emphasised that security is a issue in every modern vehicles.
Our department has a collection of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones represent a very small number.
However whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our staff is not to plug Ministry of Defence devices into their car, to avoid having conversations at a classified level in any kind of vehicle, because of the growing risks of surveillance that are present in all automobile, to restrict those confidential talks in protected areas. This is 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 cease using all cars from China, the minister responded: That is exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Defence Context
This revelation follows reports from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese electric buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off buses and bring disruption to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russian spy ship was reportedly directing lasers at RAF pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” act by defence officials.
This broader security environment highlights the importance of strong protocols and vigilance in every areas of government activities, including vehicle use to communication practices.
