An defence minister has stated that the MoD is actively examining the possible threats associated with Chinese cars, and personnel have been told to refrain from talking about classified matters in any vehicles.
Safety Guidance for MoD Personnel
During a recent appearance on LBC, Luke Pollard commented on reports that MoD officials have been told not to talk about secret information while riding in Chinese vehicles.
He explained that the MoD is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, but emphasised that security is a concern in every contemporary vehicles.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones represent a very small number.
However regardless of if you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our staff is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence devices into their car, to avoid having conversations at a classified classification in any vehicle, due to the growing risks of eavesdropping that are present in all vehicle, to restrict those secret conversations in protected areas. This is a prudent and reasonable thing for everyone concerned about security.
After it was put to him that it would be wise for the MoD to stop using all cars from China, the minister replied: That is exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Wider Defence Background
This revelation follows claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the presence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow China to switch off buses and cause disruption to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel has been directing lasers at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “highly dangerous” action by government representatives.
The broader security environment highlights the importance of strong protocols and caution in all aspects of government operations, from transport usage to discussions practices.
