A defense official has stated that the Ministry of Defence is currently investigating the potential threats posed by Chinese cars, and personnel have been advised to avoid talking about classified information in any cars.
Security Advice for Defence Personnel
In a recently aired interview on a radio station, Luke Pollard commented on claims that MoD officials have been instructed not to discuss classified material while travelling in China-made cars.
The minister stated that the MoD is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, but noted that safety is a concern in all modern vehicles.
We have a fleet of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones represent a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a car from another country, our instruction to 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 increasing risks of eavesdropping that are present in every single automobile, to restrict those secret talks in protected areas. This is a prudent and reasonable thing for everyone worried about security.
When it was suggested that it would be prudent for the ministry to stop using every cars from China, the minister responded: That is precisely what we are looking into at the present time.”
Wider Defence Context
The announcement follows claims from Scandinavian countries have alerted the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese buses, which could allow the Chinese government to switch off buses and bring disruption to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia spy ship has been shining lasers at RAF pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” action by defence officials.
The broader security environment highlights the importance of strong measures and vigilance in all areas of official activities, from transport usage to discussions habits.
