A defence minister has revealed that the MoD is currently investigating the possible threats posed by Chinese-made vehicles, while staff have been told to avoid talking about classified information in all cars.
Security Guidance for Defence Staff
During a recent appearance on LBC, Luke Pollard commented on reports that MoD staff have been instructed not to talk about secret material while riding in Chinese vehicles.
The minister said that the MoD is “examining” cars from China within its fleets, but emphasised that security is a concern in all contemporary cars.
We have a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones account for a very small number.
However regardless of if you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, 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 car, because of the increasing risks of eavesdropping that exist in every single automobile, to only have those secret conversations in secure locations. This is a wise and sensible thing for everyone worried about security.
When it was put to him that it would be prudent for the MoD to stop using all cars from China, Pollard responded: ‘That’s exactly what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Defence Context
The announcement follows claims from Scandinavian countries have alerted the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese buses, which could allow the Chinese government to switch off buses and bring chaos to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russian intelligence vessel was reportedly shining lasers at RAF pilots, described as a “extremely risky” act by government representatives.
This wider security situation highlights the significance of strong protocols and vigilance in all areas of government operations, from vehicle usage to communication practices.
