An defense official has confirmed that the MoD is currently examining the potential threats associated with Chinese-made cars, and staff have been advised to avoid talking about secret matters in any cars.
Security Guidance for MoD Personnel
In a recent interview on a radio station, Luke Pollard commented on claims that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to discuss secret information while travelling in Chinese vehicles.
He explained that the ministry is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, however emphasised that safety is a concern in all contemporary cars.
Our department has a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones represent a very small number.
But regardless of if you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our staff is not to plug Ministry of Defence technology into their vehicle, to avoid having discussions at a secret level in any car, because of the increasing threats of surveillance that exist in all automobile, to only have those confidential conversations in protected areas. This is a wise and sensible thing for everyone concerned about safety.
After it was put to him that it would be wise for the MoD to stop using every cars from China, Pollard replied: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Wider Defence Background
This announcement follows claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese electric buses, which could enable the Chinese government to disable buses and bring chaos to public transit.
Additionally, a Russian spy ship has been directing lasers at RAF pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” act by defence officials.
This broader defence situation highlights the importance of robust measures and vigilance in all areas of official operations, from vehicle use to discussions practices.
