A defense minister has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is currently investigating the possible security risks posed by Chinese cars, and personnel have been advised to avoid talking about classified matters in all cars.
Security Advice for MoD Personnel
During a recent appearance on a radio station, Luke Pollard addressed claims that Ministry of Defence staff have been told not to discuss classified material while riding in Chinese vehicles.
The minister said that the MoD is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however emphasised that safety is a concern in all modern cars.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones represent a very small number.
But regardless of if you’re driving a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our staff is to avoid connecting MoD technology into their car, not to have discussions at a secret level in any vehicle, due to the increasing threats of eavesdropping that exist in every single vehicle, to only have those confidential conversations in protected areas. This is a wise and reasonable thing for everyone concerned about safety.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using every cars from China, Pollard replied: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Wider Security Background
This announcement follows reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the presence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow China to switch off public transport and cause chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russian spy ship has been shining lasers at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “extremely risky” action by defence officials.
This wider defence environment highlights the importance of strong protocols and vigilance in every aspects of official activities, from transport use to discussions practices.
