A defense official has stated that the MoD is actively looking into the potential threats posed by Chinese-made cars, and staff have been told to avoid talking about secret information in all vehicles.
Security Guidance for Defence Personnel
During a recent appearance on LBC, Luke Pollard addressed claims that MoD staff have been instructed not to talk about secret material while riding in China-made cars.
He said that the ministry is “looking into” cars from China within its fleets, however noted that security is a concern in all contemporary cars.
Our department has a fleet of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones represent a very small number.
But whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence technology into their vehicle, not to have conversations at a classified classification in any kind of vehicle, due to the increasing threats of surveillance that exist in every single automobile, to restrict those confidential conversations in protected areas. This is a wise and reasonable thing for anyone concerned about security.
When it was put to him that it would be prudent for the ministry to stop using all Chinese vehicles, Pollard responded: ‘That’s precisely what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Wider Security Background
The revelation comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the UK to the presence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off buses and cause chaos to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russian spy ship was reportedly shining laser beams at RAF pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
This wider security environment highlights the importance of robust measures and vigilance in every areas of official activities, including vehicle use to communication practices.
