A defence minister has stated that the Ministry of Defence is currently looking into the possible threats associated with Chinese cars, while personnel have been advised to avoid talking about secret matters in any vehicles.
Security Advice for Defence Personnel
During a recent interview on LBC, Luke Pollard addressed reports that MoD officials have been instructed not to talk about classified information while riding in China-made vehicles.
The minister said that the MoD is “looking into” cars from China within its fleets, however emphasised that safety is a issue in all modern cars.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones account for a very small number.
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 technology into their vehicle, to avoid having conversations at a secret level in any kind of car, due to the growing risks of eavesdropping that exist in every single automobile, to only have those confidential talks in secure locations. This is a wise and sensible thing for everyone worried about safety.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using all cars from China, Pollard responded: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Security Context
The announcement follows claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made buses, which could enable China to switch off buses and bring disruption to public transit.
Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel has been directing lasers at Royal Air Force aircrew, labeled a “extremely risky” action by defence officials.
The broader security environment highlights the significance of strong protocols and vigilance in all aspects of government operations, including vehicle use to communication habits.
