An defence minister has confirmed that the MoD is actively investigating the potential security risks associated with Chinese-made vehicles, and personnel have been advised to refrain from discussing classified matters in any cars.
Security Guidance for Defence Staff
During a recent interview on LBC, Luke Pollard commented on reports that MoD staff have been told not to talk about secret material while riding in China-made vehicles.
The minister explained that the ministry is “looking into” cars from China within its fleets, however emphasised that safety is a concern in every modern vehicles.
Our department has a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles 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 to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence devices into their car, to avoid having conversations at a secret level in any car, due to the growing threats of surveillance that are present in every single vehicle, to only have those secret conversations in secure locations. That’s a prudent and reasonable thing for everyone worried about safety.
After it was suggested that it would be prudent for the MoD to cease using all Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Wider Defence Background
The announcement comes as reports from Scandinavian countries have alerted the UK to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made electric buses, which could enable the Chinese government to disable buses and cause chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly directing laser beams at RAF aircrew, labeled a “extremely risky” act by government representatives.
This broader defence situation underscores the importance of strong measures and caution in all areas of official activities, from vehicle use to communication practices.
