An defence minister has confirmed that the MoD is actively examining the possible security risks posed by Chinese cars, while staff have been advised to avoid discussing classified matters in any cars.
Safety Guidance for MoD Personnel
In a recent appearance on LBC, Luke Pollard commented on reports that MoD staff have been instructed not to talk about classified material while travelling in Chinese cars.
The minister said that the MoD is “looking into” cars from China within its fleets, however stressed that security is a issue in every modern vehicles.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the MoD and those vehicles represent a very small number.
But regardless of if you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our people is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence devices into their car, not to have discussions at a secret level in any car, due to the growing threats of eavesdropping that are present in every single automobile, to only have those secret conversations in protected areas. That’s a prudent and sensible thing for everyone concerned about security.
When it was suggested that it would be prudent for the ministry to cease using every cars from China, the minister replied: That is precisely what we are looking into at the present time.”
Wider Defence Context
The revelation comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off buses and bring disruption to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russian spy ship has been directing lasers at RAF pilots, described as a “extremely risky” act by defence officials.
This broader security situation highlights the importance of strong protocols and vigilance in every areas of official operations, from transport usage to discussions practices.
