An defence minister has revealed that the MoD is currently investigating the possible security risks associated with Chinese cars, and staff have been told to refrain from discussing classified matters in all vehicles.
Security Advice for MoD Staff
In a recent appearance on LBC, Luke Pollard commented on reports that Ministry of Defence officials have been instructed not to talk about classified material while riding in China-made vehicles.
The minister explained that the ministry is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however noted that security is a issue in every modern vehicles.
Our department has a fleet of tens of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and those vehicles represent a very small number.
But whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a car from another country, our instruction to our people is not to plug Ministry of Defence devices into their car, not to have conversations at a classified level in any vehicle, due to the increasing risks of surveillance that exist in all vehicle, to restrict those secret conversations in secure locations. This is a prudent and reasonable thing for anyone worried about security.
After it was suggested that it would be prudent for the ministry to stop using all cars from China, the minister responded: That is exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Wider Defence Context
This announcement comes as claims from Scandinavian countries have warned the UK to the presence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese electric buses, which could enable China to disable public transport and bring chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia spy ship was reportedly shining lasers at Royal Air Force aircrew, labeled a “highly dangerous” action by government representatives.
This wider defence situation highlights the importance of robust measures and vigilance in all areas of official operations, from transport usage to discussions habits.
