An defence minister has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is actively investigating the potential threats associated with Chinese vehicles, and personnel have been advised to refrain from discussing secret information in all vehicles.
Security Advice for Defence Personnel
In a recent interview on a radio station, Luke Pollard addressed reports that MoD staff have been told not to talk about secret material while riding in China-made cars.
He said that the ministry is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, however noted that security is a issue in all contemporary cars.
We have a fleet of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones account for a very small number.
But regardless of if you’re driving a Chinese car or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our people is not to plug MoD devices into their vehicle, not to have conversations at a classified level in any kind of vehicle, because of the increasing threats of eavesdropping that are present in all automobile, to only have those secret talks in protected areas. This is a prudent and reasonable thing for anyone worried about security.
After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the ministry to cease using all cars from China, the minister replied: That is exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Defence Context
The announcement follows reports from Scandinavian countries have warned the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made buses, which could enable the Chinese government to disable buses and cause chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel has been shining lasers at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “highly dangerous” action by government representatives.
The broader defence situation highlights the importance of strong protocols and caution in all aspects of government activities, from vehicle use to discussions habits.
