An defense official has stated that the Ministry of Defence is actively looking into the potential security risks posed by Chinese cars, and personnel have been advised to avoid talking about classified matters in all vehicles.
Safety Guidance for MoD Personnel
In a recently aired appearance on LBC, Luke Pollard commented on claims that MoD staff have been instructed not to discuss secret material while travelling in Chinese vehicles.
He stated that the MoD is “examining” cars from China within its fleets, but stressed that safety is a issue in all contemporary vehicles.
Our department has a collection 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 car from another country, our instruction to our people is to avoid connecting MoD technology into their vehicle, to avoid having discussions at a secret classification in any kind of car, because of the increasing risks of eavesdropping that exist in all vehicle, to only have those secret talks in protected areas. This is a wise and sensible thing for anyone worried about security.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the ministry to stop using every Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: That is precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”
Broader Security Background
The revelation follows reports from Norway and Denmark have alerted the UK to the existence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made electric buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off buses and bring chaos to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russian intelligence vessel has been directing lasers at RAF pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.
The wider defence situation highlights the importance of strong measures and caution in every areas of official activities, including vehicle use to communication habits.
