An defense minister has stated that the Ministry of Defence is actively examining the potential security risks posed by Chinese-made vehicles, and personnel have been advised to refrain from discussing classified matters in all vehicles.
Safety Guidance for Defence Staff
During a recent appearance on a radio station, Luke Pollard addressed reports that Ministry of Defence officials have been instructed not to discuss classified information while travelling in China-made cars.
He stated that the MoD is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, but noted that safety is a concern in all modern cars.
Our department has a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and those vehicles represent a very small number.
But whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a car from another country, our instruction to our people is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence technology into their car, to avoid having discussions at a secret level in any car, due to the growing threats of eavesdropping that exist in all automobile, to only have those secret talks in secure locations. This is a wise and reasonable thing for everyone worried about safety.
After it was put to him that it would be wise for the ministry to stop using all cars from China, Pollard responded: ‘That’s exactly what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Security Context
This announcement comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese electric buses, which could allow the Chinese government to disable public transport and cause chaos to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly shining laser beams at RAF aircrew, labeled a “highly dangerous” act by defence officials.
The wider security situation underscores the importance of robust measures and caution in every areas of official activities, from transport usage to discussions habits.
