An defence official has stated that the Ministry of Defence is actively looking into the potential security risks associated with Chinese-made cars, and personnel have been instructed to avoid talking about secret information in all cars.
Security Guidance for Defence Personnel
During a recent interview on LBC, Luke Pollard commented on claims that Ministry of Defence officials have been instructed not to talk about classified material while travelling in China-made cars.
He explained that the MoD is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, however emphasised that safety is a concern in every contemporary vehicles.
Our department has a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and Chinese ones account for a very small number.
However whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our people is not to plug Ministry of Defence devices into their vehicle, to avoid having conversations at a classified classification in any kind of car, due to the growing threats of eavesdropping that are present in all vehicle, to restrict those secret conversations in secure locations. That’s a prudent and reasonable thing for everyone concerned about safety.
When it was suggested that it would be prudent for the ministry to cease using every Chinese vehicles, Pollard responded: That is exactly what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Security Background
The revelation comes as reports from Scandinavian countries have warned the UK to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese electric buses, which could allow the Chinese government to switch off buses and cause chaos to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly directing laser beams at RAF pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
The wider security environment underscores the importance of robust protocols and caution in all aspects of government activities, from transport usage to discussions practices.