A defence minister has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is actively investigating the potential threats associated with Chinese-made cars, and personnel have been advised to refrain from talking about secret information in all vehicles.
Security Advice for MoD Personnel
During a recently aired appearance on a radio station, Luke Pollard addressed reports that MoD staff have been told not to talk about classified material while travelling in China-made cars.
The minister explained that the MoD is “examining” cars from China within its vehicle pools, but noted that security is a concern in all modern cars.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones account for a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our people is not to plug MoD devices into their vehicle, not to have conversations at a classified classification in any car, due to the growing threats of surveillance that are present in all automobile, to restrict those confidential conversations in protected areas. This is a wise and reasonable thing for anyone concerned about security.
After it was suggested that it would be prudent for the ministry to stop using all Chinese vehicles, the minister responded: That is precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”
Broader Defence Background
This announcement follows reports from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the presence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese buses, which could enable China to switch off public transport and cause disruption to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel has been shining laser beams at RAF pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
This broader defence situation underscores the importance of robust measures and vigilance in all areas of official activities, including vehicle use to communication habits.
