A defense official has stated that the MoD is actively looking into the possible threats posed by Chinese-made cars, while personnel have been instructed to refrain from talking about classified matters in any vehicles.
Security Guidance for Defence Personnel
In a recent interview on a radio station, Luke Pollard addressed reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been told not to discuss secret information while riding in China-made cars.
The minister explained that the ministry is “investigating” cars from China within its vehicle pools, but emphasised that security is a concern in all modern vehicles.
We have a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones account for a very small number.
But regardless of if you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our staff is not to plug MoD devices into their car, to avoid having discussions at a secret classification in any kind of car, because of the increasing risks of eavesdropping that exist in all vehicle, to restrict those confidential talks in secure locations. That’s a wise and reasonable thing for everyone concerned about security.
When it was put to him that it would be prudent for the ministry to stop using every cars from China, the minister replied: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Security Context
The revelation comes as claims from Scandinavian countries have alerted the UK to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese buses, which could allow the Chinese government to disable buses and cause disruption to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russian intelligence vessel was reportedly shining laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” act by defence officials.
This wider defence situation underscores the importance of strong measures and vigilance in every aspects of official activities, from transport use to discussions habits.
