A defense minister has revealed that the MoD is currently examining the possible threats posed by Chinese cars, while staff have been advised to avoid talking about classified information in any vehicles.
Security Guidance for MoD Personnel
In a recently aired interview on a radio station, Luke Pollard addressed reports that Ministry of Defence officials have been told not to discuss classified information while riding in Chinese cars.
He explained that the ministry is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however emphasised that safety is a concern in every modern vehicles.
Our department has a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles account for a very small number.
However whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our staff is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence devices into their vehicle, to avoid having discussions at a classified level in any car, due to the increasing threats of surveillance that exist in all vehicle, to restrict those secret talks in secure locations. This is a wise and sensible thing for everyone worried about safety.
After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the ministry to cease using every Chinese vehicles, Pollard responded: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Wider Security Background
This announcement comes as claims from Scandinavian countries have alerted the United Kingdom to the presence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese buses, which could enable China to disable public transport and bring chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia spy ship has been directing lasers at RAF aircrew, described as a “highly dangerous” act by defence officials.
The wider security situation underscores the significance of robust protocols and vigilance in every aspects of official operations, from vehicle usage to communication practices.
