A defense minister has stated that the Ministry of Defence is actively examining the possible threats associated with Chinese-made cars, and staff have been told to avoid discussing secret information in all cars.
Security Advice for MoD Staff
In a recent appearance on LBC, Luke Pollard addressed reports that Ministry of Defence officials have been instructed not to talk about secret material while travelling in Chinese cars.
The minister stated that the MoD is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, however stressed that security is a issue in all contemporary cars.
We have a fleet of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones account for a very small number.
However whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our people is to avoid connecting MoD technology into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a classified level in any vehicle, because of the growing threats of surveillance that exist in all automobile, to only have those confidential conversations in protected areas. This is a prudent and reasonable thing for anyone concerned about security.
When it was suggested that it would be prudent for the ministry to stop using all Chinese vehicles, the minister responded: That is exactly what we are looking into at the present time.”
Broader Defence Context
This announcement follows claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow the Chinese government to disable public transport and cause disruption to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russian intelligence vessel was reportedly directing lasers at RAF aircrew, described as a “highly dangerous” act by government representatives.
The broader defence situation underscores the importance of robust protocols and vigilance in every aspects of official activities, from vehicle usage to discussions practices.
