An defense official has revealed that the Ministry of Defence is currently investigating the potential threats associated with Chinese-made cars, and personnel have been told to refrain from talking about secret information in all cars.
Safety Advice for Defence Personnel
During a recent interview on LBC, Luke Pollard addressed claims that MoD staff have been instructed not to talk about classified information while travelling in Chinese cars.
The minister said that the MoD is “investigating” cars from China within its fleets, however noted that security is a issue in every modern vehicles.
Our department has a fleet of tens of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and those vehicles account for a very small number.
However whether you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is not to plug Ministry of Defence devices into their car, to avoid having conversations at a classified level in any vehicle, because of the increasing risks of eavesdropping that are present in every single automobile, to only have those confidential talks in secure locations. This is a wise and sensible thing for everyone worried about security.
After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the ministry to cease using all Chinese vehicles, Pollard responded: ‘That’s exactly what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Defence Context
This revelation follows reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the existence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow the Chinese government to switch off buses and cause chaos to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel has been directing laser beams at RAF pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.
The wider defence environment underscores the importance of strong protocols and vigilance in all areas of official operations, from vehicle use to discussions practices.
