A defence minister has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is actively investigating the potential security risks associated with Chinese-made vehicles, and staff have been told to avoid discussing secret matters in all cars.
Security Advice for MoD Personnel
During a recent interview on a radio station, Luke Pollard addressed reports that MoD officials have been told not to discuss classified material while riding in China-made cars.
He said that the MoD is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however noted that safety is a concern in every modern cars.
Our department has a collection of tens of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones represent a very small number.
However regardless of if you’re driving 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 vehicle, to avoid having conversations at a classified level in any kind of vehicle, due to the growing threats of eavesdropping that exist in all automobile, to only have those confidential talks in secure locations. This is a prudent and sensible thing for everyone worried about safety.
When it was suggested that it would be prudent for the MoD to stop using every Chinese vehicles, Pollard responded: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Wider Security Context
The announcement follows reports from Norway and Denmark have alerted the UK to the presence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese buses, which could allow China to disable buses and cause chaos to public transit.
Additionally, a Russian intelligence vessel was reportedly directing lasers at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” action by government representatives.
The wider defence environment highlights the significance of robust protocols and vigilance in all areas of official operations, from vehicle use to discussions practices.
