A defense official has stated that the MoD is currently investigating the possible security risks associated with Chinese-made cars, and staff have been instructed to refrain from talking about secret information in all cars.
Security Guidance for MoD Personnel
During a recently aired appearance on LBC, Luke Pollard addressed claims that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to discuss secret material while travelling in Chinese vehicles.
The minister said that the MoD is “looking into” cars from China within its vehicle pools, however emphasised that safety is a issue in all contemporary vehicles.
Our department has a collection of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles represent a very small number.
But regardless of if you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our staff is not to plug MoD devices into their vehicle, to avoid having conversations at a secret level in any kind of vehicle, due to the growing threats of surveillance that are present in every single automobile, to restrict those confidential conversations in secure locations. This is a prudent and sensible thing for everyone worried about security.
After it was suggested that it would be prudent for the MoD to stop using every cars from China, Pollard replied: That is precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”
Broader Defence Context
The announcement follows reports from Norway and Denmark have alerted the UK to the existence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese electric buses, which could allow China to switch off buses and bring chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russian spy ship was reportedly directing laser beams at RAF pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” act by government representatives.
The wider defence situation highlights the importance of robust measures and vigilance in every aspects of government activities, including transport usage to discussions practices.
