An defence official has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is actively investigating the possible security risks associated with Chinese-made cars, while personnel have been told to avoid discussing classified matters in all vehicles.
Safety Guidance for MoD Personnel
During a recently aired appearance on LBC, Luke Pollard commented on reports that MoD officials have been instructed not to talk about secret material while travelling in Chinese vehicles.
He explained that the MoD is “investigating” cars from China within its fleets, but noted that security is a concern in every modern vehicles.
We have a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles account for 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 staff is not to plug MoD technology into their vehicle, not to have conversations at a classified level in any car, because of the increasing threats of eavesdropping that exist in every single vehicle, to only have those confidential conversations in secure locations. 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 ministry to stop using every cars from China, the minister replied: That is exactly what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Wider Security Context
The revelation comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow the Chinese government to disable buses and bring disruption to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russia spy ship was reportedly shining laser beams at RAF pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” action by government representatives.
The broader security environment highlights the significance of strong protocols and vigilance in all areas of official activities, from vehicle usage to discussions practices.
