A defense minister has confirmed that the MoD is currently investigating the possible security risks associated with Chinese cars, while staff have been instructed to avoid talking about secret matters in any vehicles.
Security Advice for Defence Staff
During a recently aired interview on LBC, a defence minister addressed claims that MoD staff have been instructed not to talk about classified information while travelling in Chinese vehicles.
The minister explained that the MoD is “looking into” cars from China within its fleets, but stressed that safety is a concern in every contemporary cars.
We have a collection of thousands of cars in the MoD and those vehicles account for a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our staff is not to plug MoD devices into their vehicle, to avoid having conversations at a classified level in any kind of vehicle, because of the growing risks of eavesdropping that exist in every single vehicle, to only have those secret conversations in secure locations. That’s a prudent and sensible thing for anyone concerned about security.
When it was suggested that it would be prudent for the ministry to cease using all cars from China, Pollard replied: ‘That’s precisely what we are looking into at the present time.”
Wider Defence Context
The revelation comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made buses, which could enable China to switch off buses and bring disruption to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russian intelligence vessel has been directing lasers at RAF aircrew, labeled a “extremely risky” act by defence officials.
This wider security environment underscores the significance of robust protocols and caution in all areas of government activities, from vehicle use to communication practices.
