A defense minister has stated that the MoD is currently looking into the potential security risks posed by Chinese-made vehicles, and staff have been advised to avoid talking about classified matters in any vehicles.
Safety Guidance for MoD Personnel
During a recently aired interview on a radio station, Luke Pollard commented on claims that Ministry of Defence staff have been told not to talk about classified material while riding in China-made cars.
He stated that the MoD is “looking into” cars from China within its fleets, but emphasised that security is a concern in all modern cars.
We have a collection of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles account for a very small number.
However whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our staff is not to plug MoD technology into their car, to avoid having conversations at a secret classification in any vehicle, because of the increasing threats of surveillance that are present in every single automobile, to restrict those secret conversations 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 prudent for the ministry to cease using every cars from China, Pollard replied: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Wider Defence Context
This revelation comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the existence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese buses, which could enable China to disable public transport and bring chaos to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russian spy ship was reportedly directing lasers at RAF aircrew, labeled a “extremely risky” action by defence officials.
This wider security environment highlights the significance of robust protocols and caution in all aspects of government activities, including transport use to discussions practices.
