A defence minister has revealed that the Ministry of Defence is currently looking into the potential security risks associated with Chinese-made cars, while personnel have been advised to refrain from talking about secret matters in any cars.
Safety Guidance for Defence Personnel
During a recent interview on LBC, a defence minister commented on reports that MoD staff have been instructed not to talk about secret information while riding in Chinese cars.
He said that the ministry is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, however noted that security is a issue in all modern cars.
Our department has a fleet of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and Chinese ones account for a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our staff is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence technology into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a classified classification in any kind of car, because of the growing risks of surveillance that exist in all vehicle, to only have those secret talks in secure locations. This is a prudent and reasonable thing for anyone concerned about security.
When it was put to him that it would be prudent for the ministry to cease using every Chinese vehicles, Pollard responded: ‘That’s exactly what we are looking into at the moment.”
Broader Defence Context
This revelation follows claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese electric buses, which could allow the Chinese government to switch off public transport and bring chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russian spy ship was reportedly shining laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “extremely risky” action by defence officials.
This wider defence environment underscores the significance of robust measures and caution in every areas of government operations, from transport use to communication practices.
