An defense official has revealed that the MoD is actively examining the possible security risks posed by Chinese-made cars, and personnel have been advised to avoid talking about secret matters in all vehicles.
Safety Guidance for Defence Staff
During a recently aired appearance on LBC, Luke Pollard commented on claims that MoD staff have been told not to talk about secret material while travelling in China-made cars.
The minister stated that the ministry is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however stressed that safety is a concern in every contemporary cars.
Our department has a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones account for a very small number.
However regardless of if you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our people is not to plug Ministry of Defence technology into their vehicle, to avoid having discussions at a classified level in any kind of car, because of the increasing threats of eavesdropping that exist in all vehicle, to restrict those secret conversations in protected areas. That’s a prudent and reasonable thing for anyone worried about safety.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using every cars from China, the minister responded: ‘That’s precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”
Broader Defence Background
The revelation comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the UK to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made buses, which could enable the Chinese government to disable buses and bring disruption to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia spy ship has been shining laser beams at RAF aircrew, labeled a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.
The broader security environment underscores the significance of strong protocols and vigilance in all areas of government activities, from vehicle use to communication habits.
