A defence official has stated that the Ministry of Defence is currently examining the potential security risks associated with Chinese cars, while staff have been instructed to refrain from talking about classified information in any cars.
Security Guidance for Defence Personnel
During a recent interview on LBC, Luke Pollard addressed claims that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to discuss secret information while riding in China-made cars.
The minister stated that the MoD is “investigating” cars from China within its fleets, but stressed that safety is a issue in every contemporary cars.
We have a collection of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles account for a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our staff is not to plug Ministry of Defence devices into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a secret level in any kind of vehicle, because of the increasing threats of eavesdropping that exist in every single vehicle, to restrict those secret talks in secure locations. That’s a prudent and reasonable thing for everyone worried about safety.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using all cars from China, Pollard replied: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Wider Defence Context
The announcement comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the UK to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese electric buses, which could allow the Chinese government to disable public transport and bring chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russian intelligence vessel was reportedly directing laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.
The broader defence situation highlights the importance of robust measures and vigilance in every aspects of government operations, from vehicle use to communication practices.
