An defense official has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is actively investigating the potential threats posed by Chinese cars, and personnel have been instructed to avoid talking about classified matters in all cars.
Security Guidance for Defence Personnel
In a recently aired appearance on a radio station, Luke Pollard addressed reports that MoD staff have been told not to talk about secret information while riding in Chinese vehicles.
The minister explained that the ministry is “looking into” cars from China within its fleets, but stressed that safety is a concern in all contemporary cars.
We have a collection of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles represent a tiny fraction.
However whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our staff is not to plug MoD devices into their car, to avoid having discussions at a secret classification in any car, because of the increasing risks of eavesdropping that are present in every single vehicle, to restrict those confidential conversations in secure locations. That’s a wise and reasonable thing for everyone concerned about security.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using all Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: That is exactly what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Defence Context
The announcement comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the presence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese electric buses, which could enable China to disable public transport and bring disruption to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel has been directing lasers at RAF aircrew, described as a “highly dangerous” action by government representatives.
The wider security environment highlights the importance of robust protocols and caution in all aspects of official activities, from vehicle usage to discussions habits.
