A defence minister has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is actively examining the potential security risks associated with Chinese vehicles, and staff have been instructed to avoid discussing classified matters in all cars.
Security Advice for MoD Staff
In a recent appearance on a radio station, Luke Pollard addressed claims that MoD staff have been instructed not to talk about classified material while travelling in Chinese vehicles.
The minister stated that the MoD is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, but stressed that safety is a issue in every contemporary vehicles.
We have a fleet of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones account for a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our staff is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence devices into their car, to avoid having discussions at a secret level in any kind of car, due to the growing risks of eavesdropping that are present in every single automobile, to only have those confidential talks in protected areas. That’s a wise and reasonable thing for everyone worried about safety.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using every cars from China, the minister responded: ‘That’s exactly what we are looking into at the present time.”
Wider Defence Context
The revelation comes as reports from Scandinavian countries have alerted the UK to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese buses, which could enable China to switch off buses and cause disruption to public transit.
Additionally, a Russian spy ship was reportedly shining lasers at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “extremely risky” act by government representatives.
The wider security situation highlights the importance of robust protocols and caution in every aspects of government operations, from transport use to discussions habits.
