A defense official has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is currently investigating the possible security risks posed by Chinese-made cars, while personnel have been instructed to avoid discussing classified matters in all cars.
Security Guidance for Defence Personnel
In a recently aired appearance on a radio station, Luke Pollard commented on claims that Ministry of Defence staff have been told not to discuss classified material while riding in Chinese vehicles.
The minister explained that the ministry is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however emphasised that safety is a issue in every modern cars.
Our department has a collection of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and Chinese ones account for a very small number.
But regardless of if you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a car from another country, our instruction to our people is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence technology into their vehicle, to avoid having conversations at a secret classification in any car, because of the growing risks of eavesdropping that are present in every single vehicle, to restrict those confidential talks in secure locations. This is a wise and sensible thing for everyone worried about security.
After it was put to him that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using every cars from China, Pollard responded: ‘That’s precisely what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Wider Defence Context
The announcement follows reports from Norway and Denmark have alerted the UK to the presence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese buses, which could allow China to disable buses and cause chaos to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russian intelligence vessel was reportedly shining laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” act by government representatives.
This broader defence situation highlights the significance of strong measures and vigilance in every areas of official operations, including vehicle usage to communication habits.
