An defence official has confirmed that the MoD is currently looking into the possible threats posed by Chinese-made vehicles, and staff have been instructed to refrain from discussing secret information in any vehicles.
Security Advice for MoD Staff
In a recent appearance on a radio station, Luke Pollard commented on reports that Ministry of Defence officials have been told not to discuss secret material while riding in China-made cars.
The minister explained that the ministry is “examining” cars from China within its fleets, but noted that safety is a issue in every modern cars.
Our department has a collection of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones account for a tiny fraction.
However whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our people is to avoid connecting MoD devices into their vehicle, to avoid having discussions at a classified classification in any vehicle, due to the increasing threats of surveillance that are present in every single automobile, to only have those confidential conversations in protected areas. This is a prudent and sensible thing for everyone worried about safety.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using all cars from China, the minister responded: ‘That’s exactly what we are looking into at the present time.”
Wider Security Background
This announcement comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese buses, which could enable China to disable public transport and cause chaos to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly directing lasers at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “highly dangerous” action by government representatives.
This wider defence situation underscores the significance of robust protocols and caution in every aspects of government operations, from vehicle use to discussions practices.
