An defense official has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is currently looking into the possible security risks posed by Chinese-made cars, and staff have been told to avoid discussing secret matters in all cars.
Safety Advice for Defence Staff
In a recent interview on LBC, Luke Pollard addressed reports that MoD officials have been told not to discuss classified information while travelling in China-made cars.
He said that the ministry is “investigating” cars from China within its vehicle pools, however emphasised that safety is a concern in every modern cars.
We have a fleet of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones represent a very small number.
But whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is not to plug Ministry of Defence devices into their car, to avoid having discussions at a secret level in any kind of vehicle, due to the increasing risks of eavesdropping that exist in all vehicle, to only have those secret conversations in secure locations. That’s a prudent and sensible thing for everyone worried about safety.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the ministry to stop using all Chinese vehicles, Pollard responded: ‘That’s precisely what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Defence Background
The announcement comes as claims from Scandinavian countries have alerted the UK to the existence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese electric buses, which could enable China to switch off public transport and cause disruption to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia spy ship has been shining laser beams at RAF aircrew, described as a “highly dangerous” action by government representatives.
The wider defence environment highlights the significance of robust protocols and caution in all aspects of government operations, including vehicle use to discussions practices.
