A defence minister has stated that the MoD is actively looking into the possible security risks associated with Chinese-made cars, and staff have been instructed to avoid talking about secret matters in all vehicles.
Safety Guidance for MoD Personnel
In a recently aired appearance on a radio station, Luke Pollard commented on reports that MoD officials have been told not to discuss secret information while travelling in Chinese vehicles.
The minister explained that the MoD is “examining” cars from China within its vehicle pools, however noted that security is a concern in every contemporary vehicles.
Our department has a collection of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones account for a tiny fraction.
However whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our people is not to plug MoD technology into their vehicle, to avoid having discussions at a secret classification in any kind of vehicle, because of the growing risks of surveillance that exist in all automobile, to only have those confidential talks in secure locations. This is a wise and sensible thing for anyone worried about security.
When it was suggested that it would be prudent for the ministry to cease using all cars from China, Pollard responded: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Defence Context
The announcement comes as reports from Scandinavian countries have warned the United Kingdom to the existence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese-made buses, which could allow China to disable buses and cause disruption to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russian spy ship has been directing lasers at RAF pilots, described as a “extremely risky” act by government representatives.
This wider security environment underscores the significance of strong measures and vigilance in all aspects of government operations, from transport usage to communication practices.
