A defense minister has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is currently examining the possible security risks associated with Chinese-made cars, and staff have been advised to refrain from talking about classified matters in all cars.
Security Advice for Defence Staff
In a recent appearance on LBC, Luke Pollard commented on reports that MoD staff have been told not to talk about secret information while riding in China-made vehicles.
He said that the MoD is “examining” cars from China within its vehicle pools, but emphasised that security is a issue in every contemporary cars.
Our department has a collection of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles represent a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a car from another country, our instruction to our people is to avoid connecting MoD devices into their car, not to have discussions at a secret level in any vehicle, because of the increasing risks of eavesdropping that exist in all automobile, to only have those confidential conversations in secure locations. This is a wise and reasonable thing for anyone concerned about safety.
When it was suggested that it would be prudent for the MoD to stop using every Chinese vehicles, the minister responded: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Defence Background
This revelation comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the UK to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese electric buses, which could enable China to switch off public transport and cause disruption to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russia spy ship was reportedly directing lasers at Royal Air Force aircrew, labeled a “extremely risky” action by defence officials.
This wider defence situation highlights the importance of robust measures and caution in every aspects of government operations, from vehicle use to communication practices.
