An defence official has confirmed that the MoD is currently investigating the possible security risks posed by Chinese-made cars, while personnel have been advised to avoid discussing secret matters in any vehicles.
Security Advice for MoD Personnel
In a recently aired appearance on LBC, Luke Pollard commented on claims that MoD officials have been instructed not to talk about secret information while riding in Chinese cars.
He explained that the ministry is “examining” cars from China within its fleets, however noted that security is a concern in all contemporary 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 traveling in a vehicle from China or a car from another country, our instruction to our people is not to plug MoD devices into their vehicle, to avoid having conversations at a classified classification in any kind of car, because of the increasing threats of surveillance that exist in all vehicle, to only have those secret conversations in secure locations. That’s a prudent and sensible thing for anyone worried about security.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the ministry to stop using all Chinese vehicles, the minister responded: ‘That’s exactly what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Security Context
This announcement follows claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the presence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made buses, which could enable the Chinese government to disable buses and cause chaos to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russia spy ship was reportedly shining laser beams at RAF aircrew, labeled a “extremely risky” act by defence officials.
This wider security situation highlights the significance of robust protocols and vigilance in all aspects of official operations, from vehicle usage to discussions practices.
