An defence official has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is actively investigating the potential security risks associated with Chinese-made cars, and personnel have been instructed to refrain from discussing classified matters in any vehicles.
Safety Advice for Defence Staff
In a recently aired appearance on LBC, Luke Pollard addressed reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been told not to talk about classified material while riding in China-made vehicles.
The minister explained that the MoD is “investigating” cars from China within its vehicle pools, but stressed that safety is a concern in all modern cars.
We have a collection of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles account for a very small number.
But whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a car from another country, our instruction to our people is not to plug MoD devices into their car, to avoid having discussions at a classified classification in any kind of vehicle, due to the increasing threats of eavesdropping that exist in every single vehicle, to restrict those secret talks in protected areas. This is a prudent and reasonable thing for everyone worried about safety.
After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the ministry to cease using every cars from China, the minister replied: That is exactly what we are looking into at the present time.”
Wider Security Background
The revelation follows reports from Scandinavian countries have alerted the UK to the presence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese buses, which could enable the Chinese government to disable public transport and cause chaos to public transit.
Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly shining lasers at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
The broader defence situation highlights the importance of strong measures and vigilance in every aspects of official operations, from vehicle use to discussions practices.
