An defence official has stated that the Ministry of Defence is currently looking into the possible security risks associated with Chinese-made cars, while personnel have been advised to avoid discussing classified matters in all cars.
Safety Advice for MoD Staff
During a recent appearance on LBC, Luke Pollard commented on claims that MoD officials have been told not to talk about secret information while travelling in China-made vehicles.
He stated that the ministry is “investigating” cars from China within its fleets, however stressed that security is a concern in all contemporary cars.
Our department has a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and Chinese ones account for a tiny fraction.
However whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our people is not to plug MoD technology into their car, to avoid having conversations at a secret classification in any vehicle, due to the growing risks of eavesdropping that are present in every single automobile, to restrict those secret talks in protected areas. That’s a wise and sensible thing for anyone concerned about safety.
After it was suggested that it would be prudent for the ministry to cease using every Chinese vehicles, Pollard replied: ‘That’s exactly what we are looking into at the present time.”
Wider Defence Context
This revelation comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the presence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese buses, which could enable China to switch off buses and bring disruption to public transit.
Additionally, a Russian intelligence vessel has been directing lasers at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “extremely risky” act by government representatives.
The broader security situation underscores the importance of strong measures and vigilance in every aspects of government activities, including vehicle usage to communication habits.
