An defense official has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is currently examining the possible security risks associated with Chinese-made cars, and personnel have been instructed to refrain from talking about classified matters in all vehicles.
Safety Guidance for MoD Personnel
During a recently aired appearance on a radio station, Luke Pollard commented on reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been told not to discuss secret material while riding in Chinese cars.
The minister stated that the ministry is “examining” cars from China within its fleets, but noted that safety is a issue in all modern cars.
Our department has a collection of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones account for a very small number.
However regardless of if you’re driving a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our staff is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence devices into their vehicle, to avoid having conversations at a secret classification in any kind of car, due to the growing risks of eavesdropping that exist in all vehicle, to only have those secret talks in protected areas. That’s a wise and sensible thing for everyone worried about safety.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using all cars from China, Pollard responded: That is exactly what we are looking into at the moment.”
Broader Defence Context
This announcement comes as reports from Scandinavian countries have alerted the United Kingdom to the existence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow China to switch off public transport and cause disruption to public transit.
Additionally, a Russian intelligence vessel was reportedly shining laser beams at RAF aircrew, described as a “extremely risky” act by government representatives.
The broader defence situation underscores the importance of robust measures and vigilance in all aspects of government activities, from vehicle use to communication habits.
