A defense official has stated that the Ministry of Defence is currently looking into the potential security risks associated with Chinese vehicles, while personnel have been instructed to refrain from discussing classified matters in all vehicles.
Safety Advice for MoD Personnel
During a recently aired interview on a radio station, Luke Pollard addressed reports that Ministry of Defence officials have been instructed not to discuss classified information while riding in Chinese vehicles.
The minister said that the ministry is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however noted that safety is a concern in every modern cars.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and those vehicles account for a tiny fraction.
But regardless of if you’re driving a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is not to plug MoD technology into their car, to avoid having conversations at a secret classification in any vehicle, because of the increasing threats of eavesdropping that are present in all vehicle, to only have those secret talks in secure locations. That’s a prudent and reasonable thing for everyone worried about safety.
When it was put to him that it would be prudent for the MoD to cease using all cars from China, the minister responded: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Wider Defence Context
This announcement comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese electric buses, which could allow the Chinese government to disable public transport and cause chaos to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russian intelligence vessel has been shining lasers at RAF aircrew, labeled a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
The broader defence situation underscores the significance of robust protocols and caution in all areas of government activities, from vehicle usage to discussions practices.
