An defence official has stated that the Ministry of Defence is currently examining the potential threats posed by Chinese-made cars, and staff have been advised to avoid discussing secret matters in any vehicles.
Security Guidance for Defence Staff
During a recent appearance on a radio station, Luke Pollard addressed reports that MoD officials have been instructed not to talk about secret information while travelling in Chinese vehicles.
He explained that the MoD is “examining” cars from China within its vehicle pools, but stressed that safety is a concern in every contemporary cars.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence 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 not to plug Ministry of Defence devices into their car, to avoid having conversations at a secret level in any vehicle, because of the growing threats of eavesdropping that exist in all vehicle, to restrict those secret conversations in protected areas. That’s a wise and reasonable thing for anyone worried about safety.
After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the MoD to stop using every cars from China, Pollard responded: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Wider Defence Background
The revelation comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off buses and bring disruption to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russian spy ship has been directing laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” act by government representatives.
The wider security environment highlights the importance of robust measures and vigilance in every areas of government activities, from vehicle usage to communication habits.
