An defense minister has stated that the MoD is actively looking into the possible security risks associated with Chinese-made vehicles, while personnel have been instructed to refrain from discussing classified matters in any vehicles.
Safety Advice for Defence Staff
During a recently aired interview on LBC, Luke Pollard addressed claims that Ministry of Defence officials have been instructed not to talk about secret material while travelling in China-made cars.
He stated that the MoD is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, but noted that safety is a concern in every contemporary vehicles.
Our department has a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles represent a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our people is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence devices into their car, not to have discussions at a secret classification in any kind of vehicle, because of the growing risks of eavesdropping that are present in all automobile, to only have those confidential talks in protected areas. This is a wise and sensible thing for anyone concerned about security.
When it was suggested that it would be prudent for the MoD to cease using every Chinese vehicles, Pollard replied: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Defence Context
This revelation comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese electric buses, which could allow the Chinese government to disable buses and cause disruption to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russian intelligence vessel has been shining lasers at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “extremely risky” act by defence officials.
The wider defence situation highlights the significance of robust protocols and caution in all aspects of official activities, including vehicle usage to communication habits.
