An defense official has revealed that the MoD is currently looking into the possible security risks posed by Chinese-made vehicles, and staff have been instructed to avoid discussing classified matters in all cars.
Security Advice for Defence Staff
In a recent interview on LBC, Luke Pollard commented on reports that MoD officials have been instructed not to talk about secret information while riding in Chinese vehicles.
He explained that the ministry is “looking into” cars from China within its vehicle pools, however noted that security is a issue in every modern vehicles.
Our department has a collection of tens of thousands of cars in the MoD and those vehicles represent a very small number.
However whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our staff is not to plug Ministry of Defence devices into their vehicle, to avoid having conversations at a classified level in any kind of vehicle, because of the increasing risks of eavesdropping that are present in every single vehicle, to restrict those confidential conversations in protected areas. This is a wise and sensible thing for everyone concerned about safety.
After it was suggested that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using every cars from China, Pollard replied: ‘That’s exactly what we are looking into at the present time.”
Broader Defence Background
This revelation follows reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow the Chinese government to disable public transport and cause disruption to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly shining laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” act by defence officials.
The broader security situation highlights the importance of strong protocols and caution in every areas of official activities, including vehicle use to communication habits.
