An defense minister has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is actively examining the possible security risks associated with Chinese-made cars, and personnel have been advised to avoid discussing secret matters in any vehicles.
Security Guidance for Defence Personnel
In a recent appearance on LBC, Luke Pollard commented on claims that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to discuss secret material while riding in Chinese vehicles.
He explained that the ministry is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however noted that security is a concern in every modern vehicles.
Our department has a collection of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones account for a very small number.
However whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a car from another country, our instruction to our people is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence technology into their car, not to have conversations at a classified level in any kind of car, because of the growing risks of surveillance that are present in all vehicle, to restrict those secret conversations in secure locations. This is a wise and sensible thing for anyone concerned about security.
After it was suggested that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using all Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: That is exactly what we are looking into at the present time.”
Broader Security Background
The revelation comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off public transport and cause disruption to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russian intelligence vessel has been directing lasers at RAF aircrew, labeled a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.
The wider defence situation highlights the significance of robust protocols and caution in all areas of government operations, including transport use to communication habits.
