An defence minister has stated that the MoD is actively examining the potential security risks posed by Chinese cars, while staff have been instructed to refrain from talking about classified matters in any vehicles.
Safety Guidance for Defence Personnel
In a recent interview on a radio station, Luke Pollard addressed claims that MoD officials have been instructed not to talk about classified material while riding in Chinese cars.
The minister explained that the ministry is “looking into” cars from China within its vehicle pools, but noted that safety is a issue in every contemporary cars.
We have a collection of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones account for 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 to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence devices into their vehicle, to avoid having conversations at a secret level in any kind of car, due to the increasing threats of eavesdropping that are present in every single automobile, to only have those confidential conversations in secure locations. That’s a prudent and reasonable thing for anyone worried about safety.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to stop using every Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: ‘That’s precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Defence Context
This announcement comes as claims from Scandinavian countries have alerted the UK to the existence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese electric buses, which could enable China to disable public transport and bring chaos to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel has been shining lasers at Royal Air Force pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” act by government representatives.
The broader defence situation underscores the significance of strong measures and caution in all areas of official activities, from vehicle usage to discussions habits.
