A defence minister has stated that the Ministry of Defence is currently investigating the potential threats posed by Chinese-made vehicles, and personnel have been instructed to refrain from talking about classified information in all cars.
Security Guidance for MoD Personnel
In a recently aired interview on LBC, Luke Pollard addressed claims that MoD staff have been instructed not to discuss classified material while riding in China-made vehicles.
He stated that the ministry is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however emphasised that safety is a issue in every contemporary cars.
Our department has a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones account for a very small number.
But regardless of if you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our people is to avoid connecting MoD devices into their vehicle, not to have conversations at a secret level in any vehicle, because of the growing threats of eavesdropping that exist in every single vehicle, to restrict those confidential conversations in protected areas. That’s a prudent and sensible thing for anyone concerned about security.
When it was put to him that it would be prudent for the MoD to stop using all cars from China, Pollard responded: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Security Background
The revelation follows reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese electric buses, which could enable China to switch off buses and cause chaos to public transit.
Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel has been shining laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” action by defence officials.
The broader defence situation highlights the importance of strong protocols and vigilance in all aspects of government activities, from transport usage to discussions practices.