An defence minister has revealed that the Ministry of Defence is currently investigating the possible security risks associated with Chinese-made cars, and staff have been told to refrain from talking about classified matters in all vehicles.
Safety Guidance for MoD Staff
In a recent interview on a radio station, Luke Pollard addressed claims that MoD staff have been instructed not to discuss secret material while travelling in Chinese cars.
He stated that the ministry is “examining” cars from China within its fleets, but emphasised that safety is a concern in every contemporary vehicles.
Our department has a fleet of tens of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and those vehicles represent a very small number.
But whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our staff is not to plug Ministry of Defence devices into their car, to avoid having discussions at a secret classification in any vehicle, because of the growing risks of surveillance that are present in every single automobile, to restrict those confidential conversations in protected areas. This is a prudent and reasonable thing for everyone concerned about safety.
When it was suggested that it would be prudent for the MoD to stop using every cars from China, the minister replied: ‘That’s precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”
Broader Defence Background
This revelation follows claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the presence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made electric buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off public transport and bring chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly directing laser beams at RAF aircrew, described as a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
The broader security environment underscores the importance of strong measures and caution in all aspects of official activities, including vehicle usage to discussions practices.
