A defence official has confirmed that the MoD is actively looking into the possible security risks associated with Chinese vehicles, and staff have been advised to avoid talking about classified matters in any cars.
Security Guidance for MoD Staff
In a recent appearance on LBC, Luke Pollard commented on claims that MoD officials have been told not to talk about secret material while travelling in Chinese cars.
The minister said that the ministry is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however stressed that safety is a issue in all contemporary cars.
Our department has a fleet of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones represent a tiny fraction.
However regardless of if you’re driving a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our people is not to plug MoD technology into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a secret level in any kind of car, because of the increasing threats of eavesdropping that exist in every single automobile, to restrict those confidential talks in secure locations. This is a prudent and reasonable thing for anyone concerned about safety.
After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the ministry to stop using all cars from China, the minister replied: ‘That’s precisely what we are looking into at the present time.”
Broader Defence Background
The revelation comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have alerted the UK to the presence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made electric buses, which could enable China to switch off public transport and bring chaos to public transit.
Additionally, a Russian spy ship was reportedly directing laser beams at RAF aircrew, labeled a “highly dangerous” act by defence officials.
The wider security environment highlights the significance of strong protocols and caution in all aspects of official operations, from vehicle usage to discussions practices.
