An defense minister has stated that the MoD is currently looking into the potential security risks posed by Chinese-made cars, and personnel have been advised to avoid talking about classified matters in any vehicles.
Safety Guidance for Defence Staff
During a recently aired interview on LBC, Luke Pollard commented on claims that MoD staff have been told not to talk about secret information while travelling in Chinese vehicles.
He explained that the MoD is “investigating” cars from China within its fleets, however stressed that security is a concern in every modern vehicles.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the MoD and those vehicles represent a very small number.
But whether you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our staff is not to plug MoD technology into their car, to avoid having discussions at a classified classification in any car, because of the growing threats of eavesdropping that are present in all vehicle, to only have those secret talks in secure locations. That’s a wise and sensible thing for everyone concerned about safety.
When it was put to him that it would be prudent for the MoD to cease using all cars from China, the minister replied: That is precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Defence Context
This announcement follows claims from Scandinavian countries have warned the United Kingdom to the existence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow China to switch off buses and cause disruption to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia spy ship was reportedly shining lasers at Royal Air Force aircrew, labeled a “highly dangerous” act by government representatives.
The broader security environment underscores the importance of strong measures and vigilance in all aspects of government operations, from vehicle usage to discussions habits.
