A defence official has confirmed that the MoD is currently examining the potential security risks posed by Chinese cars, while staff have been instructed to avoid talking about classified information in all cars.
Safety Guidance for Defence Staff
In a recent appearance on a radio station, Luke Pollard commented on reports that MoD staff have been instructed not to talk about secret material while riding in China-made cars.
He said that the MoD is “looking into” cars from China within its fleets, however stressed that security is a issue in all modern cars.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones represent a very small number.
But regardless of if you’re driving a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our people is to avoid connecting MoD technology into their vehicle, to avoid having discussions at a secret classification in any vehicle, because of the increasing risks of eavesdropping that are present in every single vehicle, to restrict those secret talks in protected areas. This is a prudent and sensible thing for anyone concerned about safety.
When it was suggested that it would be prudent for the ministry to cease using every cars from China, the minister replied: That is precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”
Broader Defence Background
This announcement comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have alerted the UK to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made buses, which could allow China to switch off buses and cause chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russian intelligence vessel was reportedly directing lasers at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” action by government representatives.
This broader defence environment highlights the significance of robust protocols and vigilance in every aspects of government activities, from vehicle use to discussions practices.
