An defence official has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is currently investigating the potential threats posed by Chinese-made cars, and personnel have been told to avoid discussing secret information in all vehicles.
Security Advice for Defence Staff
During a recently aired appearance on a radio station, Luke Pollard commented on reports that Ministry of Defence officials have been instructed not to talk about classified material while travelling in Chinese cars.
The minister stated that the ministry is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however emphasised that security is a concern in every contemporary cars.
We have a collection of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones represent a tiny fraction.
But 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 technology into their vehicle, not to have conversations at a secret classification in any vehicle, because of the increasing threats of eavesdropping that are present in all automobile, to restrict those confidential talks in secure locations. This is a wise and reasonable thing for anyone concerned about security.
When it was put to him that it would be prudent for the ministry to cease using all Chinese vehicles, the minister responded: ‘That’s precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Defence Context
The revelation follows claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow China to disable buses and cause disruption to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russian intelligence vessel was reportedly shining lasers at RAF pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” action by defence officials.
The broader defence situation underscores the importance of robust protocols and vigilance in all aspects of government activities, from transport use to discussions practices.
