Minister Says Ministry of Defence Looking at Potential Threat from Vehicles from China, with Staff Told to Avoid Confidential Discussions in Cars.
An defence official has confirmed that the MoD is currently looking into the potential threats associated with Chinese cars, and staff have been advised to avoid talking about secret matters in any vehicles.
Safety Advice for MoD Staff
During a recent interview on a radio station, Luke Pollard commented on reports that MoD staff have been told not to talk about secret material while travelling in China-made vehicles.
He explained that the MoD is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, however stressed that security is a concern in all modern cars.
Our department has a fleet of tens of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and those vehicles represent a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our staff is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence technology into their car, to avoid having conversations at a classified classification in any kind of vehicle, due to the growing risks of surveillance that are present in every single automobile, to restrict those secret conversations in secure locations. This is a wise and sensible thing for anyone worried about security.
After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the MoD to stop using all cars from China, the minister replied: ‘That’s exactly what we are looking into at the moment.”
Broader Security Context
This announcement follows reports from Scandinavian countries have warned the UK to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese buses, which could allow China to disable buses and bring chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russian spy ship has been directing laser beams at RAF aircrew, described as a “extremely risky” action by defence officials.
The wider defence situation highlights the significance of strong protocols and vigilance in every aspects of official operations, from vehicle usage to communication practices.
