An defence minister has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is currently looking into the possible security risks posed by Chinese-made cars, and personnel have been advised to refrain from talking about classified information in any vehicles.
Security Advice for MoD Personnel
During a recent interview on a radio station, Luke Pollard addressed claims that MoD staff have been instructed not to talk about classified information while travelling in Chinese vehicles.
He said that the MoD is “examining” cars from China within its vehicle pools, but stressed that security is a issue in all contemporary vehicles.
Our department has a collection of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and those vehicles account for a very small number.
But whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our staff is to avoid connecting MoD technology into their car, to avoid having discussions at a secret level in any car, because of the growing risks of surveillance that exist in every single automobile, to only have those confidential talks in secure locations. This is a wise and sensible thing for anyone worried about security.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the ministry to stop using every cars from China, Pollard 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 alerted the UK to the presence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese buses, which could allow China to switch off public transport and cause chaos to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia spy ship has been shining lasers at RAF pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” act by government representatives.
This broader security environment highlights the importance of strong measures and caution in every areas of official activities, including transport use to discussions practices.
