A defence minister has stated that the Ministry of Defence is actively looking into the possible security risks associated with Chinese cars, and staff have been instructed to avoid talking about secret information in any vehicles.
Safety Guidance for Defence Staff
During a recent appearance on a radio station, Luke Pollard commented on reports that Ministry of Defence officials have been told not to talk about secret material while riding in China-made cars.
He explained that the ministry is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, however noted that safety is a concern in all modern cars.
Our department has a collection of tens of thousands of cars in the MoD and those vehicles account for 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 to avoid connecting MoD devices into their car, to avoid having discussions at a classified level in any kind of vehicle, due to the growing risks of surveillance that are present in every single vehicle, to restrict those secret talks in secure locations. This is a wise and reasonable thing for everyone worried about safety.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using every Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: ‘That’s exactly what we are looking into at the moment.”
Broader Defence Background
The announcement comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could enable China to switch off public transport and cause chaos to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russian intelligence vessel has been directing lasers at Royal Air Force aircrew, labeled a “extremely risky” act by defence officials.
This broader defence environment underscores the significance of robust measures and vigilance in all aspects of government activities, including transport use to discussions practices.
