An defense minister has stated that the Ministry of Defence is actively examining the potential threats associated with Chinese-made vehicles, and personnel have been instructed to avoid discussing classified information in all vehicles.
Security Guidance for Defence Personnel
In a recent interview on a radio station, Luke Pollard commented on claims that Ministry of Defence officials have been told not to talk about classified information while travelling in China-made cars.
The minister explained that the ministry is “investigating” cars from China within its fleets, but emphasised that safety is a concern in all modern cars.
Our department has a collection of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones represent a tiny fraction.
However whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our people is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence technology into their car, not to have conversations at a secret level in any kind of car, because of the growing risks of eavesdropping that exist in every single vehicle, to restrict those secret conversations in protected areas. That’s a wise and reasonable thing for anyone concerned about safety.
After it was suggested that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using all cars from China, Pollard responded: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Wider Security Background
This announcement comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow China to switch off public transport and cause disruption to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russian intelligence vessel was reportedly shining laser beams at RAF pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” act by defence officials.
The wider defence situation underscores the importance of strong protocols and vigilance in every aspects of official activities, from transport usage to communication habits.
