A defence minister has confirmed that the MoD is currently examining the possible threats posed by Chinese cars, while personnel have been told to refrain from discussing secret information in any vehicles.
Safety Advice for Defence Staff
During a recent appearance on a radio station, Luke Pollard commented on reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been told not to talk about classified material while travelling in Chinese cars.
The minister stated that the ministry is “looking into” cars from China within its fleets, but stressed that safety is a issue in every contemporary cars.
Our department has a collection of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones represent a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our staff is to avoid connecting MoD devices into their car, to avoid having conversations at a classified level in any vehicle, due to the increasing threats of surveillance that exist in every single vehicle, to restrict those confidential talks in protected areas. That’s a wise and reasonable thing for anyone concerned about safety.
After it was put to him that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using all Chinese vehicles, the minister responded: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Wider Defence Context
The announcement comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese buses, which could enable the Chinese government to disable public transport and cause chaos to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russia spy ship has been directing lasers at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
This broader defence environment underscores the importance of strong protocols and vigilance in all aspects of government activities, including vehicle use to discussions practices.
