An defense minister has confirmed that the MoD is currently examining the potential security risks posed by Chinese-made cars, and personnel have been told to avoid discussing secret matters in all vehicles.
Security Guidance for Defence Personnel
In a recently aired appearance on LBC, Luke Pollard commented on reports that MoD officials have been instructed not to discuss secret information while riding in China-made cars.
The minister said that the MoD is “examining” cars from China within its vehicle pools, however noted that safety is a issue in all contemporary cars.
Our department has a collection of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones account for a very small number.
But whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is not to plug MoD technology into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a classified level in any kind of vehicle, because of the increasing risks of surveillance that exist in every single vehicle, to restrict those secret talks in secure locations. This is a prudent and sensible thing for anyone worried about safety.
After it was suggested that it would be wise for the ministry to stop using every cars from China, the minister replied: That is exactly what we are looking into at the present time.”
Wider Security Background
The announcement comes as reports from Scandinavian countries have warned the UK to the presence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made electric buses, which could enable China to switch off public transport and bring disruption to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly shining lasers at RAF pilots, described as a “extremely risky” act by defence officials.
The wider security situation highlights the significance of strong measures and vigilance in every areas of official operations, including vehicle use to discussions habits.
