A defense minister has revealed that the MoD is actively looking into the potential threats posed by Chinese cars, while staff have been advised to avoid discussing secret matters in all cars.
Security Advice for Defence Staff
In a recently aired interview on a radio station, Luke Pollard commented on reports that MoD officials have been told not to talk about classified information while riding in China-made cars.
The minister explained that the MoD is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however emphasised that security is a concern in all contemporary cars.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles account for a very small number.
But whether you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is not to plug MoD devices into their car, not to have conversations at a classified classification in any kind of vehicle, because of the growing threats of surveillance that exist in all vehicle, to restrict those secret talks in secure locations. That’s a wise and reasonable thing for everyone worried about safety.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the ministry to stop using all cars from China, Pollard replied: That is exactly what we are looking into at the present time.”
Broader Security Background
The revelation comes as claims from Scandinavian countries have alerted the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese buses, which could allow the Chinese government to disable buses and bring disruption to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russian intelligence vessel has been directing laser beams at RAF aircrew, described as a “extremely risky” act by government representatives.
This broader defence environment highlights the significance of strong protocols and vigilance in every aspects of official activities, including vehicle use to discussions practices.
