A defence minister has stated that the MoD is currently investigating the possible security risks associated with Chinese-made cars, and personnel have been told to avoid discussing classified information in all vehicles.
Security Advice for MoD Staff
During a recent appearance on LBC, Luke Pollard commented on claims that Ministry of Defence officials have been told not to talk about classified information while travelling in Chinese cars.
He said that the ministry is “examining” cars from China within its vehicle pools, however noted that security is a issue in all modern vehicles.
We have a fleet of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones account for a tiny fraction.
But regardless of if you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our staff is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence technology into their car, not to have conversations at a classified classification in any vehicle, because of the growing threats 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 MoD to cease using every cars from China, Pollard responded: That is precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”
Broader Defence Context
This announcement comes as reports from Scandinavian countries have warned the UK to the presence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made buses, which could enable the Chinese government to disable buses and bring chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russian spy ship was reportedly shining laser beams at RAF pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
The wider security environment highlights the importance of strong protocols and caution in all areas of government activities, including vehicle use to communication practices.
