An defence minister has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is currently examining the potential threats posed by Chinese-made vehicles, and staff have been told to avoid talking about classified matters in any vehicles.
Security Advice for MoD Staff
In a recent interview on LBC, Luke Pollard addressed reports that Ministry of Defence officials have been instructed not to talk about secret information while riding in Chinese vehicles.
He explained that the ministry is “examining” cars from China within its vehicle pools, however stressed that security is a concern in all contemporary vehicles.
Our department has a collection of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones represent a very small number.
However whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our staff is not to plug MoD devices into their car, not to have discussions at a secret classification in any kind of vehicle, because of the increasing risks of eavesdropping that exist in every single vehicle, to only have those confidential talks in secure locations. That’s a wise and sensible thing for everyone worried about security.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using all cars from China, Pollard responded: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Security Context
This announcement follows claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the presence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese electric buses, which could allow the Chinese government to switch off buses and bring disruption to public transit.
Additionally, a Russia spy ship has been shining lasers at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “extremely risky” act by defence officials.
This wider security situation highlights the significance of strong protocols and caution in every areas of official activities, from vehicle usage to discussions habits.
