A defence minister has confirmed that the MoD is actively investigating the potential threats associated with Chinese cars, while staff have been instructed to refrain from discussing classified information in any vehicles.
Security Advice for MoD Personnel
In a recent appearance on LBC, Luke Pollard addressed reports that MoD staff have been instructed not to discuss classified information while travelling in China-made cars.
He said that the ministry is “looking into” cars from China within its fleets, but emphasised that security is a concern in all modern cars.
We have a fleet of thousands of cars in the MoD and those vehicles account for a very small number.
But regardless of if you’re driving a Chinese car or a car from another country, our instruction to our staff is not to plug MoD technology into their car, not to have conversations at a secret level in any kind of car, due to the growing risks of surveillance that exist in all vehicle, to restrict those secret talks in protected areas. That’s a prudent and sensible thing for anyone worried about security.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the ministry to stop using every Chinese vehicles, the minister responded: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Security Background
This revelation comes as reports from Scandinavian countries have warned the UK to the presence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese electric buses, which could enable the Chinese government to disable public transport and cause chaos to public transit.
Additionally, a Russian intelligence vessel has been directing lasers at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “extremely risky” act by government representatives.
This broader security environment underscores the significance of strong protocols and vigilance in every aspects of government activities, from vehicle use to communication practices.
