A defense official has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is currently examining the potential threats associated with Chinese-made cars, and staff have been told to avoid discussing classified matters in any vehicles.
Security Advice for MoD Personnel
During a recent appearance on a radio station, Luke Pollard addressed claims that MoD staff have been instructed not to talk about classified material while travelling in China-made vehicles.
He stated that the MoD is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, however emphasised that safety is a issue in all contemporary vehicles.
We have a fleet of thousands of cars in the MoD and those vehicles account for a tiny fraction.
However whether you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our people is not to plug Ministry of Defence technology into their car, not to have conversations at a classified level in any kind of car, because of the growing risks of eavesdropping that are present in all automobile, to only have those confidential talks in protected areas. That’s a prudent and reasonable thing for anyone worried about security.
After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the ministry to stop using every cars from China, Pollard responded: That is exactly what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Defence Background
This revelation comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off buses and bring disruption to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russian spy ship has been directing laser beams at Royal Air Force aircrew, labeled a “extremely risky” act by government representatives.
The broader security environment underscores the importance of strong measures and vigilance in every areas of government activities, from transport use to discussions practices.
