A defence minister has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is currently investigating the possible security risks posed by Chinese-made cars, and personnel have been advised to refrain from talking about secret matters in any vehicles.
Safety Guidance for MoD Personnel
During a recent interview on LBC, Luke Pollard commented on reports that Ministry of Defence officials have been told not to discuss classified information while travelling in Chinese cars.
He stated that the ministry is “looking into” cars from China within its fleets, however noted that safety is a issue in all contemporary cars.
We have a fleet of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and Chinese ones represent a very small number.
But whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a car from another country, our instruction to our people is not to plug Ministry of Defence technology into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a classified level in any kind of vehicle, due to the increasing risks of surveillance that exist in all vehicle, to only have those confidential talks in secure locations. That’s a prudent and sensible thing for anyone worried about safety.
After it was suggested that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using all Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: ‘That’s exactly what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Defence Background
This announcement comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the existence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could enable China to disable buses and bring disruption to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russian spy ship was reportedly shining laser beams at Royal Air Force aircrew, labeled a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
This wider defence environment highlights the importance of robust protocols and vigilance in every areas of official operations, from transport use to discussions habits.
