A defense official has stated that the MoD is actively investigating the potential security risks posed by Chinese-made vehicles, and personnel have been instructed to avoid discussing classified information in any cars.
Security Advice for Defence Personnel
During a recently aired interview on a radio station, Luke Pollard commented on reports that MoD staff have been instructed not to discuss secret information while riding in China-made cars.
The minister said that the MoD is “looking into” cars from China within its vehicle pools, however stressed that security is a concern in every contemporary vehicles.
Our department has a fleet of tens 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 non-Chinese car, our instruction to our people is to avoid connecting MoD technology into their car, to avoid having discussions at a secret classification in any vehicle, because of the growing threats of eavesdropping that exist in every single vehicle, to restrict those confidential talks in protected areas. This is a prudent and sensible thing for everyone concerned about security.
After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the ministry to cease using every cars from China, the minister replied: That is exactly what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Security Context
This revelation comes as claims from Scandinavian countries have alerted the UK to the presence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off public transport and bring chaos to public transit.
Additionally, a Russian spy ship has been shining laser beams at RAF aircrew, labeled a “highly dangerous” act by government representatives.
This wider security situation highlights the importance of strong measures and caution in all areas of official operations, from vehicle usage to discussions practices.
