An defence minister has revealed that the MoD is actively looking into the potential security risks associated with Chinese-made cars, and staff have been advised to refrain from discussing classified information in all vehicles.
Safety Guidance for MoD Personnel
During a recently aired interview on a radio station, a defence minister addressed reports that Ministry of Defence officials have been instructed not to discuss classified material while riding in Chinese cars.
He stated that the ministry is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, but stressed that security is a concern in all contemporary vehicles.
We have a collection of tens of thousands of cars in the MoD and those vehicles account for a very small number.
However regardless of if you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a car from another country, our instruction to our people is to avoid connecting MoD technology into their car, to avoid having conversations at a secret level in any kind of car, due to the growing risks of surveillance that exist in every single vehicle, to restrict those secret talks in protected areas. This is a wise and reasonable thing for everyone worried about safety.
After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the MoD to cease using all cars from China, Pollard replied: ‘That’s precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Defence Context
The announcement follows reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the existence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese buses, which could enable China to disable public transport and bring chaos to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russia spy ship was reportedly directing lasers at RAF aircrew, labeled a “highly dangerous” act by defence officials.
This broader defence situation underscores the significance of strong measures and caution in every areas of government operations, from vehicle usage to communication habits.
