A defence minister has stated that the MoD is currently examining the possible threats associated with Chinese cars, while personnel have been instructed to avoid talking about secret information in any cars.
Security Advice for MoD Staff
In a recently aired appearance on a radio station, Luke Pollard addressed reports that MoD officials have been told not to discuss secret information while riding in China-made vehicles.
He said that the MoD is “examining” cars from China within its fleets, but stressed that security is a concern in all contemporary cars.
Our department has a collection of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles represent a very small number.
However regardless of if you’re driving a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our staff is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence technology into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a secret level in any kind of vehicle, because of the growing risks of eavesdropping that are present in all automobile, to only have those confidential talks in protected areas. This is a wise and sensible thing for anyone worried about security.
After it was put to him that it would be wise for the MoD to stop using all cars from China, Pollard replied: That is exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Wider Security Context
The announcement comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the presence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese electric buses, which could allow the Chinese government to switch off public transport and cause chaos to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russian intelligence vessel was reportedly directing laser beams at Royal Air Force aircrew, labeled a “highly dangerous” act by government representatives.
The broader security environment highlights the significance of robust measures and caution in all aspects of official operations, from vehicle use to communication habits.
