A defense minister has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is actively looking into the potential security risks posed by Chinese-made vehicles, while staff have been advised to refrain from talking about classified matters in all cars.
Safety Advice for MoD Personnel
In a recent interview on a radio station, Luke Pollard addressed claims that MoD officials have been instructed not to talk about secret information while travelling in Chinese cars.
He explained that the ministry is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however noted that safety is a issue in all contemporary vehicles.
Our department has a fleet of tens of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and Chinese ones represent a tiny fraction.
But whether 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, to avoid having conversations at a classified level in any kind of car, due to the increasing threats of eavesdropping that are present in all vehicle, to restrict those secret talks in protected areas. That’s a wise and reasonable thing for everyone concerned about safety.
After it was put to him that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using all Chinese vehicles, Pollard replied: ‘That’s exactly what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Security Background
The announcement comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow China to disable buses and bring disruption to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russian spy ship has been shining laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.
This broader security environment highlights the importance of robust protocols and vigilance in every areas of official activities, from vehicle use to communication habits.
