A defence official has stated that the Ministry of Defence is currently examining the potential security risks associated with Chinese-made vehicles, and staff have been told to refrain from discussing secret matters in any cars.
Security Advice for Defence Staff
In a recently aired interview on a radio station, Luke Pollard addressed claims that Ministry of Defence officials have been instructed not to discuss secret material while riding in Chinese cars.
The minister explained that the MoD is “looking into” cars from China within its vehicle pools, however noted that safety is a concern in all modern cars.
We have a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and those vehicles represent a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our staff is not to plug MoD devices into their car, not to have discussions at a secret level in any kind of vehicle, because of the increasing risks of eavesdropping that exist in all vehicle, to restrict those secret conversations in protected areas. That’s a prudent and reasonable thing for everyone concerned about safety.
After it was put to him that it would be wise for the MoD to stop using every cars from China, Pollard replied: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Security Background
This announcement follows claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the presence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could enable China to disable buses and bring disruption to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia spy ship has been shining lasers at RAF pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” act by government representatives.
The wider security environment underscores the importance of strong protocols and vigilance in all areas of government activities, from transport usage to communication habits.
