A defence official has revealed that the Ministry of Defence 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 all vehicles.
Security Advice for MoD Staff
During a recent interview on a radio station, Luke Pollard addressed claims that MoD officials have been told not to discuss secret material while travelling in Chinese cars.
The minister stated that the MoD is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, but stressed that security is a issue in every modern cars.
We have a collection of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones account for a very small number.
However regardless of if you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a car from another country, our instruction to our people is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence technology into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a classified level in any vehicle, because of the growing risks of surveillance that are present in every single vehicle, to only have those confidential talks in protected areas. This is a wise and sensible thing for anyone concerned about safety.
After it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using every cars from China, Pollard responded: That is exactly what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Wider Security Context
The revelation follows claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the presence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off buses and bring disruption to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia spy ship has been shining laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” action by government representatives.
The broader defence situation underscores the importance of strong measures and vigilance in all aspects of government activities, including transport use to discussions practices.
