A defense minister has stated that the MoD is currently investigating the possible security risks posed by Chinese-made cars, while staff have been instructed to refrain from talking about classified matters in any cars.
Safety Guidance for MoD Staff
During a recent appearance on LBC, Luke Pollard commented on reports that MoD officials have been told not to discuss secret information while riding in Chinese vehicles.
The minister explained that the ministry is “investigating” cars from China within its fleets, but emphasised that safety is a concern in every modern vehicles.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles represent a very small number.
However whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our staff is not to plug Ministry of Defence devices into their vehicle, to avoid having conversations at a classified classification in any kind of vehicle, due to the increasing threats of eavesdropping that exist in every single automobile, to only have those confidential talks in protected areas. This is a prudent and sensible thing for everyone concerned about safety.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the ministry to stop using every cars from China, the minister responded: ‘That’s precisely what we are looking into at the present time.”
Broader Security Background
The announcement follows claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese buses, which could enable the Chinese government to disable buses and bring chaos to public transit.
Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel has been shining lasers at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.
This wider defence environment highlights the importance of strong protocols and caution in every areas of government activities, from transport use to communication practices.
