A defense official has revealed that the MoD is actively looking into the possible threats posed by Chinese cars, and personnel have been advised to avoid discussing classified matters in all cars.
Security Advice for MoD Personnel
In a recent appearance on a radio station, Luke Pollard commented on reports that MoD staff have been instructed not to discuss secret information while travelling in China-made cars.
The minister said that the MoD is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however emphasised that security is a issue in all modern cars.
We have a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and those vehicles represent a very small number.
However whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our staff is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence devices into their vehicle, to avoid having discussions at a secret level in any kind of car, because of the growing risks of eavesdropping that are present in every single vehicle, to restrict those secret conversations in protected areas. This is a wise and sensible thing for everyone worried about security.
When it was suggested that it would be prudent for the MoD to stop using every cars from China, Pollard responded: ‘That’s precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Defence Context
The revelation follows reports from Norway and Denmark have alerted the UK to the presence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese electric buses, which could enable the Chinese government to disable public transport and cause chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russian intelligence vessel has been shining lasers at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “highly dangerous” act by defence officials.
The broader defence situation highlights the significance of robust protocols and caution in every areas of government operations, including transport usage to communication habits.
