An defense minister has confirmed that the MoD is currently investigating the possible threats associated with Chinese-made cars, and personnel have been instructed to refrain from talking about classified information in all vehicles.
Security Guidance for MoD Staff
During a recently aired interview on a radio station, Luke Pollard addressed reports that MoD staff have been told not to discuss classified information while riding in China-made cars.
He stated that the MoD is “investigating” cars from China within its vehicle pools, however stressed that security is a issue in all modern cars.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the MoD and those vehicles represent a very small number.
But whether you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a car from another country, our instruction to our staff is not to plug Ministry of Defence technology into their car, not to have conversations at a secret level in any car, due to the growing risks of surveillance that exist in every single vehicle, to only have those confidential talks in protected areas. That’s a wise and reasonable thing for everyone worried about security.
After it was put to him that it would be wise for the ministry to stop using every Chinese vehicles, Pollard responded: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Defence Context
The announcement comes as 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 disable buses and bring disruption to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russian intelligence vessel has been shining laser beams at RAF pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” act by defence officials.
The broader defence situation underscores the significance of robust protocols and caution in every areas of government activities, including transport usage to discussions habits.
