A defence official has stated that the Ministry of Defence is actively examining the possible threats posed by Chinese-made cars, and personnel have been advised to avoid discussing secret matters in all cars.
Security Guidance for MoD Personnel
During a recently aired appearance on LBC, Luke Pollard commented on reports that Ministry of Defence officials have been instructed not to talk about classified information while travelling in Chinese cars.
The minister said that the MoD is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, but noted that security is a issue in every modern cars.
Our department has a fleet of tens of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles account for a very small number.
But regardless of if you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our people is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence devices into their car, not to have conversations at a secret level in any car, because of the increasing threats of eavesdropping that exist in every single vehicle, to restrict those confidential talks in secure locations. This is a prudent and reasonable thing for everyone worried about safety.
When it was suggested that it would be prudent for the ministry to stop using all Chinese vehicles, Pollard replied: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Wider Security Background
The revelation comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have alerted the UK to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off public transport and cause chaos to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russian spy ship has been shining lasers at RAF aircrew, labeled a “highly dangerous” act by government representatives.
The broader security environment highlights the significance of strong protocols and caution in all aspects of government activities, from transport usage to communication habits.
