An defense official has stated that the MoD is currently looking into the potential security risks posed by Chinese-made cars, while staff have been instructed to avoid discussing classified matters in all cars.
Security Guidance for MoD Personnel
In a recent appearance on LBC, Luke Pollard addressed reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been told not to talk about secret information while riding in China-made vehicles.
He said that the MoD is “examining” cars from China within its fleets, but emphasised that safety is a issue in every contemporary vehicles.
We have a collection of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and those vehicles account for a tiny fraction.
However regardless of if you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence devices into their car, not to have discussions at a classified level in any kind of vehicle, due to the increasing risks of eavesdropping that exist in all vehicle, to only have those secret conversations in secure locations. That’s a wise and reasonable thing for everyone concerned about security.
After it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using every cars from China, the minister responded: That is exactly what we are looking into at the present time.”
Wider Defence Background
The revelation follows claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese electric buses, which could enable China to switch off public transport and cause disruption to public transit.
Additionally, a Russian spy ship was reportedly shining laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” act by defence officials.
This wider security environment highlights the importance of strong measures and vigilance in every areas of government activities, from vehicle use to discussions practices.
