A defense minister has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is currently looking into the potential security risks posed by Chinese cars, and staff have been told to avoid talking about classified information in all vehicles.
Security Advice for MoD Personnel
During a recent interview on LBC, Luke Pollard commented on reports that MoD staff have been told not to discuss classified material while riding in China-made cars.
He said that the ministry is “investigating” cars from China within its vehicle pools, but emphasised that security is a concern in all contemporary vehicles.
We have a fleet of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles represent a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is not to plug MoD devices into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a classified classification in any kind of car, due to the increasing threats of eavesdropping that exist in all automobile, to only have those confidential conversations in protected areas. That’s a wise and reasonable thing for anyone worried about safety.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the ministry to stop using every cars from China, the minister replied: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Wider Security Background
The announcement comes as claims from Scandinavian countries have alerted the UK to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow China to disable public transport and bring disruption to public transit.
Additionally, a Russia spy ship has been shining lasers at RAF pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.
The broader defence situation underscores the importance of strong protocols and caution in all aspects of government activities, from vehicle usage to communication practices.
