An defence official has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is actively looking into the potential security risks posed by Chinese-made cars, and personnel have been told to avoid talking about secret information in any vehicles.
Security Guidance for Defence Staff
In a recently aired appearance on LBC, Luke Pollard addressed reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to talk about secret material while travelling in Chinese vehicles.
He stated that the ministry is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, however stressed that security is a concern in every contemporary cars.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles represent a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is not to plug MoD technology into their vehicle, not to have conversations at a secret level in any vehicle, because of the growing risks of eavesdropping that are present in every single vehicle, to restrict those confidential conversations in secure locations. This is a prudent and sensible thing for anyone worried about security.
After it was put to him that it would be wise for the ministry to stop using all cars from China, Pollard replied: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Defence Context
The announcement follows claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese electric buses, which could enable the Chinese government to disable public transport and cause disruption to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russian intelligence vessel has been directing lasers at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “extremely risky” act by government representatives.
This wider defence situation highlights the importance of robust measures and vigilance in every aspects of official activities, from transport use to communication habits.
