An defence official has stated that the MoD is actively looking into the possible security risks posed by Chinese cars, and personnel have been told to avoid discussing classified matters in any cars.
Safety Guidance for Defence Staff
In a recently aired appearance on LBC, Luke Pollard addressed reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to talk about secret material while travelling in China-made vehicles.
The minister explained that the ministry is “investigating” cars from China within its vehicle pools, however stressed that safety is a concern in all modern vehicles.
Our department has a fleet of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and Chinese ones represent a tiny fraction.
But regardless of if you’re driving a vehicle from China or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our staff is not to plug MoD technology into their car, not to have discussions at a classified level in any kind of vehicle, due to the increasing threats of eavesdropping that exist in every single automobile, to only have those secret conversations in protected areas. This is a prudent and sensible thing for everyone concerned about safety.
After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the MoD to cease using all cars from China, the minister responded: ‘That’s precisely what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Security Background
The revelation follows claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the UK to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow the Chinese government to disable public transport and cause chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russian intelligence vessel has been directing laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.
The wider security environment highlights the importance of strong protocols and caution in all aspects of official activities, including transport usage to discussions habits.
