A defense minister has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is actively examining the potential security risks posed by Chinese-made cars, and personnel have been instructed to avoid discussing secret matters in all cars.
Safety Guidance for MoD Personnel
During a recently aired appearance on a radio station, Luke Pollard commented on reports that MoD officials have been instructed not to talk about secret material while riding in Chinese cars.
He said that the MoD is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, but emphasised that safety is a issue in all contemporary vehicles.
Our department has a collection of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones represent a very small number.
However whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our people is to avoid connecting MoD technology into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a secret level in any car, because of the increasing threats of surveillance that exist in every single vehicle, to only have those secret conversations in secure locations. This is a wise and sensible thing for everyone worried about safety.
After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the MoD to cease using all Chinese vehicles, Pollard responded: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Security Context
The announcement comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made buses, which could enable China to switch off buses and bring chaos to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russian spy ship has been shining laser beams at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.
This broader defence environment highlights the importance of robust measures and caution in every aspects of government activities, from vehicle use to communication practices.
