An defense official has confirmed that the MoD is actively investigating the potential security risks associated with Chinese cars, while personnel have been advised to refrain from discussing classified information in any vehicles.
Security Advice for MoD Personnel
In a recent appearance on a radio station, Luke Pollard addressed reports that MoD officials have been instructed not to discuss secret information while travelling in Chinese vehicles.
He said that the MoD is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, but emphasised that safety is a issue in every modern cars.
We have a collection of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles represent a tiny fraction.
However regardless of if you’re driving a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our staff is to avoid connecting MoD devices into their vehicle, to avoid having discussions at a classified classification in any car, due to the increasing risks of eavesdropping that exist in every single vehicle, to restrict those confidential conversations in secure locations. This is a prudent and reasonable thing for anyone worried about security.
When it was suggested that it would be prudent for the ministry to cease using every cars from China, Pollard replied: ‘That’s exactly what we are looking into at the present time.”
Broader Security Context
The announcement follows claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese electric buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off buses and bring disruption to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russian spy ship was reportedly directing laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.
This broader security situation highlights the importance of robust measures and caution in all aspects of official operations, from transport use to discussions habits.
