A defense minister has stated that the MoD is currently looking into the potential threats posed by Chinese-made cars, and staff have been advised to refrain from discussing secret information in any vehicles.
Security Guidance for MoD Personnel
During a recently aired appearance on LBC, Luke Pollard commented on claims that MoD staff have been instructed not to talk about classified material while riding in Chinese vehicles.
The minister stated that the ministry is “looking into” cars from China within its vehicle pools, however stressed that security is a concern in all contemporary cars.
Our department has a fleet of tens of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and those vehicles represent a tiny fraction.
However regardless of if you’re driving a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our people is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence devices into their car, not to have discussions at a classified classification in any car, due to the increasing threats of eavesdropping that exist in all vehicle, to restrict those secret talks in protected areas. That’s a wise and reasonable thing for everyone worried about safety.
After it was put to him that it would be wise for the ministry to stop using every cars from China, the minister responded: ‘That’s precisely what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Wider Defence Background
The revelation comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the UK to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese buses, which could allow China to switch off buses and cause chaos to public transit.
Additionally, a Russian intelligence vessel has been directing laser beams at RAF aircrew, described as a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.
This wider security situation underscores the significance of robust measures and vigilance in every aspects of official operations, from transport usage to communication practices.
