An defence minister has confirmed that the MoD is currently investigating the possible threats associated with Chinese-made cars, and personnel have been advised to avoid talking about classified matters in any cars.
Security Guidance for Defence Personnel
During a recent appearance on LBC, Luke Pollard commented on reports that MoD officials have been instructed not to talk about classified material while travelling in China-made vehicles.
He stated that the ministry is “investigating” cars from China within its fleets, however noted that safety is a concern in every contemporary cars.
Our department has a fleet of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones account for a tiny fraction.
But regardless of if you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is not to plug MoD devices into their car, to avoid having conversations at a classified classification in any vehicle, due to the increasing risks of eavesdropping that are present in all vehicle, to restrict those secret talks in secure locations. That’s a prudent and sensible thing for anyone worried about safety.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using every cars from China, the minister responded: ‘That’s precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Wider Defence Context
This announcement comes as reports from Scandinavian countries have warned the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese electric buses, which could enable the Chinese government to disable public transport and cause chaos to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russian intelligence vessel has been directing laser beams at RAF pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
This wider security situation underscores the importance of strong measures and vigilance in every areas of official operations, from vehicle use to discussions practices.
