Minister Confirms Ministry of Defence Investigating Security Risk from Vehicles from China, with Personnel Advised to Avoid Confidential Discussions in Cars.
An defense minister has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is actively investigating the possible security risks posed by Chinese-made cars, while staff have been told to avoid talking about classified matters in all vehicles.
Security Advice for MoD Personnel
In a recent appearance on a radio station, Luke Pollard addressed claims that Ministry of Defence officials have been told not to discuss classified material while riding in Chinese cars.
The minister stated that the MoD is “looking into” cars from China within its vehicle pools, but emphasised that security is a concern in every contemporary cars.
Our department has a fleet of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles account for a tiny fraction.
However whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our people is to avoid connecting MoD devices into their vehicle, not to have conversations at a secret level in any vehicle, because of the growing threats of surveillance that are present in every single vehicle, to restrict those secret talks in protected areas. This is a prudent and sensible thing for everyone concerned about security.
When it was suggested that it would be prudent for the MoD to stop using every cars from China, Pollard replied: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Defence Context
This announcement comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the presence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made buses, which could allow China to switch off public transport and bring chaos to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russian intelligence vessel was reportedly directing laser beams at RAF pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.
This broader security situation underscores the importance of strong measures and vigilance in all aspects of government operations, including vehicle use to communication practices.
