An defense minister has stated that the Ministry of Defence is currently investigating the potential security risks posed by Chinese vehicles, and personnel have been advised to refrain from talking about secret matters in any vehicles.
Security Advice for MoD Staff
In a recent appearance on LBC, Luke Pollard commented on reports that Ministry of Defence officials have been instructed not to talk about secret information while travelling in China-made vehicles.
The minister said that the ministry is “examining” cars from China within its fleets, however stressed that safety is a issue in all contemporary cars.
Our department has a fleet of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones account for a very small number.
But whether you’re traveling in 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 conversations at a classified level in any vehicle, due to the increasing risks of surveillance that exist in every single automobile, to restrict those confidential talks in secure locations. This is a wise and sensible thing for anyone worried about safety.
After it was put to him that it would be wise for the ministry to stop using every cars from China, Pollard replied: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Wider Security Context
This announcement follows reports from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese buses, which could allow the Chinese government to disable buses and bring disruption to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly directing lasers at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “highly dangerous” act by government representatives.
This wider defence situation highlights the importance of strong protocols and caution in all aspects of government activities, from transport use to discussions practices.
