A defense official has stated that the MoD is actively looking into the potential security risks posed by Chinese vehicles, while staff have been told to avoid discussing classified information in any vehicles.
Security Advice for Defence Personnel
During a recent appearance on a radio station, Luke Pollard addressed claims that Ministry of Defence staff have been told not to discuss secret material while riding in Chinese cars.
The minister explained that the MoD is “looking into” cars from China within its fleets, but emphasised that safety is a concern in every modern cars.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones account for a very small number.
But regardless of if you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our staff is not to plug MoD technology into their car, not to have discussions at a secret classification in any vehicle, because of the increasing threats of eavesdropping that are present in all vehicle, to restrict those secret talks in secure locations. That’s a wise and reasonable thing for anyone concerned about safety.
After it was suggested that it would be prudent for the ministry to cease using every Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: ‘That’s exactly what we are looking into at the present time.”
Wider Security Context
This revelation comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made buses, which could enable China to switch off public transport and bring chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russian spy ship has been directing lasers at RAF aircrew, labeled a “highly dangerous” action by government representatives.
The broader defence situation underscores the importance of robust measures and caution in every aspects of government activities, including vehicle usage to discussions habits.
