An defence minister has confirmed that the MoD is currently examining the possible security risks posed by Chinese-made cars, while staff have been instructed to refrain from talking about secret information in any cars.
Security Guidance for MoD Personnel
In a recent interview on LBC, Luke Pollard commented on claims that Ministry of Defence officials have been instructed not to discuss classified information while travelling in China-made vehicles.
The minister explained that the MoD is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, but noted that security is a issue in all contemporary vehicles.
Our department has a fleet of tens of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones represent a tiny fraction.
But regardless of if you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our staff is to avoid connecting MoD devices into their vehicle, to avoid having discussions at a secret level in any vehicle, due to the increasing risks of eavesdropping that are present in every single automobile, to restrict those secret talks in secure locations. That’s a prudent and reasonable thing for everyone concerned about safety.
When it was suggested that it would be prudent for the ministry to stop using all cars from China, Pollard responded: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Security Context
The announcement follows claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese electric buses, which could enable China to switch off buses and cause chaos to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russian intelligence vessel was reportedly directing lasers at RAF pilots, described as a “extremely risky” act by government representatives.
This broader defence situation highlights the importance of robust measures and caution in every areas of official operations, including vehicle use to discussions practices.
