An defense official has stated that the MoD is currently examining the potential security risks associated with Chinese-made cars, while staff have been instructed to avoid discussing classified information in any cars.
Security Advice for MoD Staff
During a recently aired appearance on a radio station, Luke Pollard addressed claims that MoD staff have been told not to talk about secret information while riding in Chinese vehicles.
The minister explained that the MoD is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, however stressed that safety is a concern in every contemporary vehicles.
We have a collection of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones account for a tiny fraction.
But regardless of if you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our people is not to plug Ministry of Defence devices into their car, to avoid having discussions at a secret classification in any vehicle, due to the growing threats of surveillance that exist in every single automobile, to restrict those secret talks in secure locations. That’s a wise and reasonable thing for anyone worried about security.
When it was suggested that it would be prudent for the MoD to stop using every cars from China, Pollard replied: That is precisely what we are looking into at the present time.”
Wider Security Background
The announcement comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow China to disable buses and cause disruption to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia spy ship was reportedly shining laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” act by government representatives.
The broader security environment underscores the importance of strong measures and caution in all aspects of government activities, from vehicle usage to discussions habits.
