An defense minister has revealed that the Ministry of Defence is currently investigating the potential security risks posed by Chinese cars, while staff have been told to avoid talking about classified matters in any cars.
Security Advice for Defence Personnel
During a recent interview on LBC, Luke Pollard addressed claims that Ministry of Defence officials have been instructed not to discuss classified information while travelling in China-made vehicles.
The minister stated that the MoD is “investigating” cars from China within its fleets, but noted that security is a issue in every contemporary cars.
We have a fleet of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones represent a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our staff is not to plug Ministry of Defence technology into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a classified classification in any vehicle, due to the increasing threats of eavesdropping that are present in all automobile, to restrict those secret talks in protected areas. This is a prudent and sensible thing for everyone worried about security.
After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the ministry to stop using all cars from China, Pollard replied: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Defence Context
The announcement comes as reports from Scandinavian countries have warned the UK to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made electric buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off buses and cause disruption to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russian spy ship was reportedly shining laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” action by defence officials.
This wider security environment highlights the importance of strong measures and caution in all aspects of government activities, from transport use to communication practices.
