A defence official has revealed that the Ministry of Defence is actively investigating the potential security risks associated with Chinese-made cars, while staff have been told to avoid talking about classified matters in all cars.
Safety Guidance for MoD Staff
During a recently aired appearance on LBC, Luke Pollard commented on reports that MoD staff have been told not to discuss classified information while travelling in China-made vehicles.
He stated that the ministry is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, but stressed that safety is a issue in all contemporary vehicles.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones account for a very small number.
But whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our staff is to avoid connecting MoD devices into their car, to avoid having conversations at a classified level in any car, because of the increasing risks of eavesdropping that exist in all vehicle, to only have those secret talks in secure locations. This is a prudent and reasonable thing for everyone concerned about safety.
After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the ministry to stop using every Chinese vehicles, Pollard replied: That is precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Security Context
The announcement follows reports from Scandinavian countries have warned the UK to the existence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese buses, which could enable the Chinese government to disable public transport and cause disruption to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel has been directing lasers at RAF aircrew, labeled a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
This broader defence environment underscores the importance of strong measures and vigilance in all areas of official operations, from vehicle usage to communication habits.
