A defense minister has revealed that the MoD is currently examining the possible threats associated with Chinese-made vehicles, and staff have been advised to refrain from discussing classified matters in all cars.
Safety Advice for Defence Personnel
In a recent interview on a radio station, Luke Pollard commented on reports that Ministry of Defence officials have been instructed not to talk about secret information while riding in Chinese cars.
He explained that the ministry is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, but stressed that safety is a issue in all modern cars.
Our department has a collection of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones account for a tiny fraction.
However whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our people is not to plug MoD technology into their car, to avoid having discussions at a secret classification in any kind of car, because of the growing threats of eavesdropping that exist in every single automobile, to restrict those secret talks in protected areas. This is a prudent and reasonable thing for anyone worried about safety.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using every cars from China, Pollard responded: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Security Context
This announcement comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese buses, which could enable China to switch off buses and cause chaos to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia spy ship was reportedly directing laser beams at RAF aircrew, described as a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.
This broader defence situation underscores the significance of strong measures and caution in all aspects of government operations, from vehicle use to discussions habits.
