An defence official has stated that the Ministry of Defence is currently looking into the potential threats associated with Chinese-made cars, and staff have been advised to refrain from talking about secret information in any vehicles.
Security Advice for Defence Personnel
During a recently aired appearance on LBC, Luke Pollard commented on claims that Ministry of Defence staff have been told not to talk about secret material while riding in China-made vehicles.
The minister said that the ministry is “looking into” cars from China within its fleets, however emphasised that safety is a concern in every modern cars.
We have a fleet of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones account for a tiny fraction.
However whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our people is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence technology into their vehicle, to avoid having discussions at a classified classification in any kind of car, because of the increasing threats of surveillance that are present in all vehicle, to only have those confidential talks in protected areas. That’s a wise and reasonable thing for everyone worried about security.
After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the ministry to cease using all cars from China, the minister responded: ‘That’s exactly what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Security Context
The revelation comes as claims from Scandinavian countries have warned the UK to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off buses and cause disruption to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russian spy ship has been directing laser beams at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
The wider security environment highlights the significance of strong protocols and vigilance in all areas of government activities, including vehicle use to communication habits.
