A defence official has stated that the Ministry of Defence is currently investigating the potential security risks associated with Chinese-made cars, while personnel have been told to avoid talking about classified matters in any cars.
Security Guidance for Defence Personnel
During a recently aired appearance on LBC, Luke Pollard commented on claims that MoD staff have been told not to talk about classified information while travelling in Chinese cars.
He said that the MoD is “looking into” cars from China within its vehicle pools, however emphasised that security is a issue in every modern cars.
We have a collection of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles represent a very small number.
But whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our staff is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence technology into their car, to avoid having discussions at a secret level in any vehicle, due to the increasing risks of surveillance that are present in all automobile, to only have those confidential conversations in secure locations. This is a wise and reasonable thing for everyone concerned about safety.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the ministry to stop using all cars from China, Pollard replied: ‘That’s precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Defence Background
The announcement comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the presence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese electric buses, which could allow China to disable public transport and bring disruption to public transit.
Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly directing laser beams at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “extremely risky” act by government representatives.
The wider defence situation highlights the significance of robust measures and vigilance in all aspects of government operations, including transport usage to discussions practices.