A defence minister has stated that the Ministry of Defence is actively looking into the potential security risks posed by Chinese vehicles, while personnel have been instructed to refrain from talking about classified matters in all cars.
Safety Guidance for MoD Staff
In a recent interview on LBC, a defence minister addressed reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to discuss secret material while travelling in Chinese cars.
He stated that the ministry is “looking into” cars from China within its vehicle pools, however noted that safety is a concern in all modern vehicles.
We have a fleet of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones represent a very small number.
However whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our staff is to avoid connecting MoD technology into their car, not to have discussions at a classified level in any vehicle, due to the increasing threats of eavesdropping that are present in all automobile, to restrict those secret talks in secure locations. That’s a wise and reasonable thing for everyone worried about safety.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the MoD to stop using all cars from China, Pollard responded: ‘That’s exactly what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Defence Context
This revelation comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the presence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow the Chinese government to switch off public transport and bring chaos to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel has been shining laser beams at RAF pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.
This wider defence situation underscores the importance of robust measures and caution in all aspects of official operations, from vehicle use to communication habits.
