An defense official has stated that the MoD is actively looking into the potential security risks posed by Chinese-made cars, while staff have been advised to avoid talking about classified information in all vehicles.
Security Advice for Defence Personnel
In a recently aired appearance on LBC, Luke Pollard commented on claims that Ministry of Defence staff have been told not to discuss secret information while travelling in Chinese vehicles.
The minister explained that the ministry is “examining” cars from China within its fleets, but noted that security is a concern in every contemporary vehicles.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the MoD and those vehicles account for a very small number.
But regardless of if you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a car from another country, our instruction to our people is not to plug Ministry of Defence devices into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a secret level in any car, because of the increasing threats of eavesdropping that are present in all vehicle, to only have those secret conversations in secure locations. That’s a wise and sensible thing for anyone concerned about security.
When it was put to him that it would be prudent for the ministry to cease using all Chinese vehicles, Pollard replied: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Wider Security Background
The announcement follows reports from Scandinavian countries have warned the United Kingdom to the existence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese electric buses, which could enable China to disable public transport and cause chaos to public transit.
Additionally, a Russia spy ship has been directing laser beams at RAF pilots, described as a “extremely risky” action by defence officials.
The broader defence environment underscores the importance of strong measures and vigilance in all aspects of government operations, from transport usage to communication habits.
