A defence minister has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is currently examining the potential security risks associated with Chinese-made cars, while staff have been advised to avoid discussing classified information in all vehicles.
Security Guidance for Defence Personnel
During a recently aired appearance on a radio station, a defence minister addressed reports that MoD staff have been instructed not to discuss classified material while riding in China-made cars.
The minister said that the MoD is “investigating” cars from China within its vehicle pools, but stressed that safety is a concern in every modern vehicles.
We have a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones represent a very small number.
But regardless of if you’re driving a vehicle from China or a car from another country, our instruction to our staff is not to plug MoD technology into their vehicle, to avoid having conversations at a secret classification in any kind of car, because of the increasing risks of surveillance that exist in every single vehicle, to restrict 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 Chinese vehicles, Pollard replied: ‘That’s precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Security Background
This announcement comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could enable China to switch off buses and bring chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russian intelligence vessel was reportedly directing laser beams at RAF aircrew, described as a “extremely risky” action by defence officials.
This broader defence situation highlights the significance of strong measures and caution in every aspects of official activities, from vehicle use to communication practices.
