An defense official has stated that the Ministry of Defence is currently looking into the potential threats posed by Chinese cars, and personnel have been advised to refrain from talking about classified matters in all vehicles.
Security Advice for MoD Personnel
During a recent appearance on a radio station, Luke Pollard commented on claims that Ministry of Defence officials have been told not to discuss classified information while travelling in China-made vehicles.
The minister said that the MoD is “looking into” cars from China within its vehicle pools, however emphasised that security is a concern in all contemporary cars.
We have a fleet of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and Chinese ones account for a very small number.
But whether you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our people is to avoid connecting MoD devices into their vehicle, to avoid having discussions at a secret level in any kind of vehicle, because of the increasing threats of eavesdropping that are present in all vehicle, to only have those confidential talks in protected areas. That’s a prudent and sensible thing for anyone worried about safety.
After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the MoD to cease using all Chinese vehicles, the minister responded: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Wider Security Background
The announcement comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the UK to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese buses, which could allow China to disable buses and cause chaos to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russian spy ship has been directing lasers at RAF pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” action by government representatives.
This broader defence situation underscores the importance of strong measures and caution in every aspects of official operations, including transport use to discussions habits.
