An defence official has revealed that the Ministry of Defence is actively investigating the potential threats posed by Chinese cars, while staff have been told to refrain from discussing classified matters in any cars.
Security Advice for Defence Staff
During a recent interview on a radio station, Luke Pollard addressed claims that MoD staff have been instructed not to discuss secret information while travelling in Chinese cars.
The minister explained that the ministry is “investigating” cars from China within its fleets, but stressed that safety is a issue in every contemporary vehicles.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones account for a very small number.
But regardless of if you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a car from another country, our instruction to our people is to avoid connecting MoD devices into their car, to avoid having discussions at a classified classification in any kind of car, because of the growing threats of surveillance that are present in every single vehicle, to restrict those confidential talks in secure locations. This is a wise and sensible thing for anyone worried about safety.
After it was suggested that it would be wise for the ministry to stop using all Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: That is precisely what we are looking into at the present time.”
Wider Security Context
This announcement comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese electric buses, which could enable China to disable buses and cause disruption to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russian intelligence vessel has been shining lasers at Royal Air Force pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.
The broader security environment underscores the significance of robust protocols and caution in all areas of official activities, from vehicle use to discussions practices.
