An defence minister has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is currently looking into the potential threats posed by Chinese vehicles, and staff have been told to avoid talking about secret information in all cars.
Security Advice for Defence Staff
During a recent interview on a radio station, Luke Pollard addressed reports that MoD officials have been told not to discuss classified information while travelling in Chinese cars.
He stated that the ministry is “looking into” cars from China within its fleets, but stressed that safety is a concern in all contemporary cars.
We have a collection of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones represent a very small number.
However whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a car from another country, our instruction to our staff is not to plug MoD devices into their vehicle, to avoid having discussions at a classified classification in any vehicle, due to the increasing risks of eavesdropping that exist in all automobile, to restrict those secret talks in protected areas. This is a prudent and reasonable thing for everyone worried about security.
After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the ministry to cease using every Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: That is exactly what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Defence Background
This revelation comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese electric buses, which could allow the Chinese government to disable buses and bring chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia spy ship was reportedly shining lasers at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” action by government representatives.
This broader defence situation highlights the significance of robust protocols and caution in all aspects of official activities, including vehicle usage to communication practices.
