Minister Confirms Ministry of Defence Examining Security Risk from Chinese Cars, as Personnel Instructed to Avoid Secret Talk in Vehicles.
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 told to avoid talking about secret information in all cars.
Security Advice for Defence Personnel
During a recent appearance on LBC, Luke Pollard commented on claims that Ministry of Defence officials have been instructed not to talk about secret material while riding in China-made vehicles.
The minister stated that the ministry is “investigating” cars from China within its vehicle pools, but noted that security is a concern in all contemporary vehicles.
We have a collection of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles account for a very small number.
But whether you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a car from another country, our instruction to our staff is to avoid connecting MoD devices into their car, to avoid having conversations at a classified level in any kind of vehicle, due to the growing risks of eavesdropping that exist in all automobile, to only have those confidential talks in protected areas. This is a prudent and sensible thing for anyone concerned about security.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the ministry to stop using every Chinese vehicles, Pollard replied: That is exactly what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Wider Security Background
This announcement follows claims from Scandinavian countries have warned the UK to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off public transport and bring chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel has been directing lasers at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.
The broader defence environment underscores the importance of strong measures and caution in every aspects of official activities, from transport use to communication practices.
