A defence official has revealed that the Ministry of Defence is currently investigating the potential threats posed by Chinese cars, while staff have been advised to refrain from talking about secret information in any cars.
Security Guidance for MoD Personnel
During a recently aired appearance on a radio station, Luke Pollard addressed claims that MoD officials have been told not to talk about classified information while riding in Chinese cars.
The minister explained that the ministry is “examining” cars from China within its vehicle pools, however noted that security is a concern in every contemporary cars.
We have a fleet of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones account for a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence devices into their vehicle, to avoid having discussions at a secret classification in any vehicle, due to the increasing risks of eavesdropping that are present in every single automobile, to restrict those confidential talks in secure locations. This is a wise and sensible thing for everyone concerned about safety.
After it was put to him that it would be wise for the ministry to stop using every cars from China, Pollard responded: That is exactly what we are looking into at the present time.”
Broader Security Background
The revelation follows claims from Scandinavian countries have alerted the UK to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could enable the Chinese government to disable public transport and bring disruption to public transit.
Additionally, a Russian spy ship has been shining lasers at RAF pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.
This wider security situation highlights the significance of robust measures and caution in all areas of official activities, from transport use to discussions practices.
