An defence minister has stated that the MoD is currently looking into the possible security risks associated with Chinese-made cars, while staff have been instructed to avoid talking about classified information in all cars.
Security Advice for Defence Personnel
In a recent interview on LBC, Luke Pollard addressed claims that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to discuss secret material while riding in China-made cars.
He explained that the MoD is “examining” cars from China within its fleets, but emphasised that safety is a issue in all contemporary vehicles.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles represent a tiny fraction.
However whether you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our people is not to plug Ministry of Defence devices into their car, not to have conversations at a secret level in any car, due to the growing threats of eavesdropping that are present in all automobile, to only have those confidential conversations in secure locations. That’s a wise and reasonable thing for everyone worried about safety.
After it was suggested that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using all Chinese vehicles, the minister responded: ‘That’s exactly what we are looking into at the moment.”
Broader Security Context
This announcement comes as reports from Scandinavian countries have warned the United Kingdom to the presence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made electric buses, which could enable the Chinese government to disable public transport and cause chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly directing lasers at RAF aircrew, described as a “highly dangerous” act by government representatives.
This wider defence environment underscores the importance of robust protocols and caution in every aspects of official activities, from vehicle use to communication habits.
