A defense minister has confirmed that the MoD is currently examining the possible security risks posed by Chinese vehicles, while personnel have been instructed to avoid talking about classified matters in any cars.
Security Guidance for MoD Staff
In a recent interview on a radio station, Luke Pollard addressed reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to discuss secret material while riding in Chinese cars.
He said that the ministry is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however stressed that security is a issue in all contemporary vehicles.
We have a collection of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles represent a tiny fraction.
However whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a car from another country, our instruction to our staff is to avoid connecting MoD devices into their vehicle, to avoid having conversations at a classified level in any vehicle, because of the growing threats of eavesdropping that are present in all automobile, to restrict those secret talks in secure locations. This is a prudent and sensible thing for anyone concerned about security.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the MoD to stop using all Chinese vehicles, Pollard replied: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Defence Context
The revelation follows claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the existence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off public transport and bring disruption to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly shining lasers at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” act by defence officials.
This broader security environment underscores the importance of robust protocols and caution in every aspects of government activities, including transport use to communication practices.
