An defence official has confirmed that the MoD is actively examining the potential security risks associated with Chinese-made vehicles, and staff have been told to refrain from talking about classified information in any vehicles.
Security Advice for Defence Staff
In a recently aired appearance on a radio station, Luke Pollard commented on claims that MoD officials have been instructed not to discuss secret material while riding in Chinese cars.
The minister said that the ministry is “looking into” cars from China within its fleets, but noted that security is a concern in all contemporary cars.
We have a collection of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles account for a tiny fraction.
However regardless of if you’re driving a vehicle from China or a car from another country, our instruction to our staff is not to plug Ministry of Defence devices into their vehicle, to avoid having discussions at a classified classification in any kind of vehicle, because of the growing threats of eavesdropping that are present in every single vehicle, to restrict those secret talks in secure locations. That’s a prudent and sensible thing for everyone worried about security.
After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the MoD to stop using all cars from China, the minister replied: That is precisely what we are looking into at the present time.”
Broader Defence Background
This announcement follows reports from Norway and Denmark have alerted the UK to the existence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese buses, which could enable China to disable public transport and cause chaos to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly directing laser beams at RAF aircrew, described as a “highly dangerous” action by government representatives.
The wider defence environment underscores the significance of strong protocols and caution in all aspects of government activities, from transport usage to discussions practices.
