An defense minister has stated that the Ministry of Defence is currently examining the potential security risks posed by Chinese cars, while staff have been advised to avoid talking about secret matters in all vehicles.
Security Guidance for Defence Personnel
In a recently aired appearance on a radio station, Luke Pollard commented on reports that MoD officials have been instructed not to discuss secret information while riding in Chinese vehicles.
The minister stated that the MoD is “looking into” cars from China within its fleets, however noted that security is a issue in all contemporary vehicles.
We have a collection of thousands of cars in the MoD and those vehicles account for a tiny fraction.
But regardless of if you’re driving a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our people is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence devices into their car, not to have discussions at a secret classification in any vehicle, because of the increasing risks of surveillance that exist in every single automobile, to only have those secret talks in protected areas. This is a prudent and sensible thing for anyone concerned about security.
When it was suggested that it would be prudent for the ministry to cease using all Chinese vehicles, the minister responded: That is precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”
Broader Security Context
The announcement follows reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off public transport and cause disruption to public transit.
Additionally, a Russian intelligence vessel has been directing laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
The wider defence environment underscores the importance of robust protocols and vigilance in all areas of government activities, from vehicle usage to communication habits.
