An defence official has stated that the MoD is currently investigating the potential security risks posed by Chinese cars, and personnel have been told to refrain from talking about secret information in all cars.
Safety Advice for MoD Personnel
During a recently aired appearance on LBC, Luke Pollard addressed reports that Ministry of Defence officials have been told not to talk about secret information while travelling in Chinese cars.
The minister stated that the ministry is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however stressed that security is a concern in all contemporary vehicles.
We have a collection of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones account for a tiny fraction.
However regardless of if you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our staff is not to plug MoD devices into their vehicle, to avoid having discussions at a classified classification in any kind of car, because of the increasing threats of surveillance that are present in all automobile, to restrict those confidential conversations in protected areas. That’s a wise and reasonable thing for anyone concerned about security.
After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the MoD to stop using all cars from China, the minister replied: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Defence Background
This revelation follows reports from Norway and Denmark have alerted the UK to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese buses, which could enable China to disable public transport and bring disruption to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russian intelligence vessel has been directing laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “extremely risky” act by government representatives.
This broader security environment underscores the importance of strong protocols and caution in every areas of government activities, from vehicle use to discussions practices.
