A defense official has confirmed that the MoD is actively looking into the potential threats posed by Chinese cars, while personnel have been instructed to avoid talking about secret matters in any vehicles.
Security Advice for MoD Staff
In a recently aired interview on LBC, Luke Pollard addressed reports that MoD officials have been instructed not to discuss secret information while riding in China-made cars.
The minister stated that the MoD is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however stressed that safety is a issue in all contemporary cars.
Our department has a collection of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and those vehicles account for a tiny fraction.
However whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our people is to avoid connecting MoD devices into their vehicle, not to have conversations at a secret level in any vehicle, because of the growing risks of eavesdropping that exist in all automobile, to restrict those confidential conversations in protected areas. This is a prudent and sensible thing for everyone worried about safety.
After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the ministry to stop using every Chinese vehicles, the minister responded: That is precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Defence Context
This revelation comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the existence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese electric buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off buses and cause disruption to public transit.
Additionally, a Russia spy ship has been shining laser beams at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “highly dangerous” action by government representatives.
The broader defence situation highlights the importance of strong measures and vigilance in every areas of government activities, from transport use to discussions practices.
