An defence minister has revealed that the MoD is currently examining the possible security risks associated with Chinese vehicles, and staff have been advised to avoid discussing secret information in all cars.
Safety Guidance for MoD Personnel
In a recently aired appearance on a radio station, Luke Pollard commented on claims that Ministry of Defence officials have been instructed not to talk about secret information while riding in Chinese cars.
The minister explained that the MoD is “investigating” cars from China within its fleets, however stressed that safety is a concern in all contemporary cars.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones account for a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our people is to avoid connecting MoD devices into their vehicle, not to have conversations at a secret classification in any kind of car, due to the increasing threats of surveillance that are present in all automobile, to restrict those secret conversations in secure locations. That’s a prudent and sensible thing for anyone concerned about safety.
After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the ministry to cease using all Chinese vehicles, Pollard responded: ‘That’s precisely what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Wider Defence Background
This announcement follows claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made buses, which could allow the Chinese government to disable buses and cause disruption to public transit.
Additionally, a Russia spy ship was reportedly shining lasers at RAF pilots, described as a “extremely risky” act by government representatives.
The wider security situation highlights the importance of robust protocols and vigilance in all areas of official activities, from vehicle use to communication practices.
