An defense minister has confirmed that the MoD is currently investigating the possible security risks associated with Chinese vehicles, while personnel have been advised to refrain from talking about secret matters in all cars.
Security Advice for Defence Staff
During a recent interview on LBC, a defence minister addressed reports that Ministry of Defence officials have been told not to discuss secret information while riding in Chinese vehicles.
He explained that the ministry is “looking into” cars from China within its vehicle pools, however emphasised that security is a concern in all modern cars.
Our department has a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles account for a tiny fraction.
However regardless of if you’re driving a Chinese car or a car from another country, our instruction to our staff is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence technology into their vehicle, to avoid having discussions at a secret classification in any kind of car, because of the growing threats of surveillance that exist in all automobile, to only have those secret conversations in protected areas. That’s a wise and reasonable thing for everyone worried about security.
After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the ministry to stop using all cars from China, Pollard replied: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Wider Defence Background
The revelation follows claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the UK to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made buses, which could allow China to switch off buses and bring disruption to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly directing laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “extremely risky” act by defence officials.
This broader security environment underscores the importance of robust protocols and caution in all aspects of official operations, from vehicle use to discussions habits.
