An defence minister has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is actively examining the possible security risks associated with Chinese-made cars, while personnel have been instructed to refrain from discussing secret matters in all cars.
Security Guidance for Defence Personnel
In a recent appearance on LBC, Luke Pollard commented on reports that MoD staff have been instructed not to talk about classified material while travelling in Chinese vehicles.
The minister said that the MoD is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however noted that security is a concern in every contemporary cars.
Our department has a collection of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones account for a tiny fraction.
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 technology into their car, to avoid having discussions at a secret level in any vehicle, because of the growing threats of surveillance that exist in every single automobile, to restrict those secret talks in secure locations. This is a prudent and sensible thing for everyone concerned about security.
When it was suggested that it would be prudent for the ministry to cease using every Chinese vehicles, the minister responded: That is exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Security Context
The revelation comes as reports from Scandinavian countries have warned the UK to the existence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese-made buses, which could allow the Chinese government to switch off public transport and bring disruption to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russian intelligence vessel was reportedly directing laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” act by defence officials.
This broader security situation underscores the importance of robust measures and vigilance in every areas of official operations, including vehicle usage to discussions practices.
