An defense minister has stated that the MoD is actively investigating the potential threats posed by Chinese vehicles, while personnel have been told to avoid talking about classified information in any cars.
Security Guidance for Defence Staff
During a recently aired interview on a radio station, Luke Pollard commented on claims that MoD staff have been told not to discuss classified information while riding in China-made cars.
He explained that the MoD is “examining” cars from China within its fleets, however emphasised that safety is a concern in all modern cars.
We have a fleet of thousands of cars in the MoD and those vehicles represent a very small number.
But regardless of if you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our staff 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 threats of eavesdropping that exist in every single vehicle, to restrict those secret talks in secure locations. That’s a wise and reasonable thing for everyone concerned about security.
After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the MoD to stop using every cars from China, the minister responded: ‘That’s precisely what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Defence Context
The announcement follows reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK 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 spy ship was reportedly directing lasers at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
This broader defence situation highlights the importance of strong protocols and caution in every aspects of government operations, from transport usage to discussions practices.
