A defense minister has confirmed that the MoD is currently examining the potential security risks posed by Chinese-made cars, while staff have been told to avoid discussing secret matters in any vehicles.
Security Advice for Defence Staff
In 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 travelling in China-made vehicles.
He said that the ministry is “examining” cars from China within its vehicle pools, but noted that safety is a concern in every modern cars.
Our department has a fleet of tens of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and Chinese ones represent a tiny fraction.
However regardless of if you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is to avoid connecting MoD technology into their car, not to have discussions at a secret classification in any kind of vehicle, because of the growing risks of eavesdropping that are present in all automobile, to restrict those confidential conversations in secure locations. That’s a prudent and reasonable thing for everyone worried about security.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the ministry to stop using every cars from China, Pollard replied: ‘That’s precisely what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Defence Background
The announcement comes as claims from Scandinavian countries have warned the UK to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese buses, which could allow China to disable buses and bring chaos to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russian spy ship was reportedly directing lasers at RAF pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” action by government representatives.
This wider security situation highlights the significance of strong measures and vigilance in all areas of official activities, from transport usage to discussions habits.
