A defense minister has confirmed that the MoD is currently looking into the potential security risks posed by Chinese cars, and staff have been advised to avoid talking about classified information in all cars.
Safety Guidance for Defence Staff
During a recent appearance on a radio station, Luke Pollard addressed reports that MoD staff have been instructed not to talk about classified information while riding in China-made cars.
The minister stated that the ministry is “examining” cars from China within its vehicle pools, however emphasised that security is a concern in all modern cars.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones represent a very small number.
However whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is to avoid connecting MoD devices into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a secret level in any vehicle, due to the growing risks of eavesdropping that exist in all automobile, to restrict those secret talks in protected areas. That’s a prudent and sensible thing for anyone concerned about safety.
When it was suggested that it would be prudent for the ministry to stop using all cars from China, Pollard replied: That is exactly what we are looking into at the moment.”
Broader Security Background
This revelation follows reports from Scandinavian countries have warned the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow the Chinese government to switch off public transport and cause chaos to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russian spy ship was reportedly shining laser beams at Royal Air Force aircrew, labeled a “extremely risky” act by defence officials.
The wider defence situation underscores the importance of strong measures and caution in all aspects of government operations, from transport use to discussions practices.
