A defence official has stated that the Ministry of Defence is actively looking into the potential threats associated with Chinese-made cars, while personnel have been instructed to avoid talking about classified matters in any cars.
Security Guidance for Defence Personnel
During a recently aired interview on a radio station, Luke Pollard addressed claims that MoD staff have been instructed not to discuss secret information while riding in Chinese vehicles.
The minister said that the ministry is “looking into” cars from China within its fleets, however noted that security is a concern in all modern cars.
Our department has a collection of thousands of cars in the MoD and those vehicles account for a tiny fraction.
But regardless of if you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our people is to avoid connecting MoD technology into their vehicle, not to have conversations at a classified level in any kind of car, due to the growing risks of eavesdropping that are present in all vehicle, to restrict those secret talks in secure locations. This is a wise and reasonable thing for everyone worried about security.
When it was suggested that it would be prudent for the ministry to cease using every Chinese vehicles, the minister responded: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Security Context
This revelation comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made buses, which could allow China to disable buses and cause disruption to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russian spy ship was reportedly shining laser beams at RAF pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” action by defence officials.
The wider security situation highlights the importance of robust protocols and caution in all aspects of government activities, including transport usage to discussions practices.
