An defence minister has revealed that the MoD is currently examining the potential security risks posed by Chinese vehicles, and staff have been told to refrain from discussing classified information in all vehicles.
Safety Advice for MoD Personnel
In a recently aired interview on LBC, Luke Pollard addressed reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to discuss classified information while travelling in Chinese cars.
He explained that the MoD is “examining” cars from China within its vehicle pools, but noted that safety is a issue in all modern cars.
We have a collection of tens of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones account for a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a car from another country, our instruction to our people is to avoid connecting MoD technology into their car, to avoid having conversations at a classified level in any kind of car, due to the growing threats of eavesdropping that exist in every single automobile, to only have those confidential talks in protected areas. This is a wise and sensible thing for everyone worried about security.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using every cars from China, Pollard responded: ‘That’s precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”
Broader Security Context
The announcement comes as claims from Scandinavian countries have alerted the UK to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese buses, which could allow the Chinese government to disable buses and cause chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel has been directing laser beams at RAF aircrew, described as a “extremely risky” action by defence officials.
The wider defence situation highlights the significance of strong protocols and caution in every areas of official activities, from transport use to communication habits.
