A defence minister has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is currently looking into the potential security risks posed by Chinese-made cars, and staff have been advised to avoid discussing secret matters in all vehicles.
Safety Advice for Defence Personnel
In a recent appearance on a radio station, Luke Pollard commented on claims that Ministry of Defence officials have been told not to discuss classified information while travelling in China-made cars.
The minister said that the MoD is “looking into” cars from China within its vehicle pools, however emphasised that security is a concern in every contemporary vehicles.
Our department has a collection of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and Chinese ones represent a very small number.
However regardless of if you’re driving a vehicle from China or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our staff is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence devices into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a secret classification in any kind of car, because of the increasing threats of surveillance that exist in all vehicle, to restrict those secret conversations in protected areas. This is a prudent and reasonable thing for everyone worried about safety.
After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the ministry to cease using all Chinese vehicles, Pollard replied: That is exactly what we are looking into at the moment.”
Broader Defence Context
This revelation comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese electric buses, which could allow China to disable buses and cause disruption to public transit.
Additionally, a Russian intelligence vessel was reportedly shining laser beams at RAF pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” act by government representatives.
The broader security situation underscores the importance of strong measures and vigilance in all aspects of government activities, from vehicle usage to communication practices.
