A defence minister has stated that the MoD is actively examining the potential security risks associated with Chinese-made cars, while staff have been advised to avoid talking about classified matters in any vehicles.
Security Advice for MoD Personnel
During a recent interview on LBC, Luke Pollard addressed reports that Ministry of Defence officials have been told not to discuss secret information while travelling in China-made cars.
The minister explained that the MoD is “examining” cars from China within its fleets, however stressed that security is a concern in every contemporary cars.
Our department has a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones represent a tiny fraction.
But regardless of if you’re driving a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our staff is not to plug MoD devices into their car, not to have conversations at a secret classification in any vehicle, due to the increasing threats of surveillance that exist in all vehicle, to restrict those secret talks in protected areas. This is a wise and reasonable thing for everyone concerned about security.
When it was suggested that it would be prudent for the MoD to stop using every cars from China, Pollard responded: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Defence Background
The revelation comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese buses, which could allow the Chinese government to disable public transport and bring disruption to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia spy ship has been shining laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
The broader defence environment underscores the significance of robust protocols and caution in all areas of government operations, from vehicle usage to communication habits.
