Minister Says Ministry of Defence Examining Security Risk from Vehicles from China, with Personnel Advised to Refrain from Confidential Discussions in Cars.
An defence official has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is actively investigating the possible security risks posed by Chinese cars, while personnel have been advised to avoid discussing classified matters in any vehicles.
Security Guidance for MoD Staff
In a recently aired appearance on a radio station, Luke Pollard addressed reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been told not to discuss classified information while riding in China-made cars.
He stated that the ministry is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, but noted that safety is a issue in all contemporary vehicles.
We have a collection of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones account for a tiny fraction.
But regardless of if you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our staff is not to plug MoD devices into their vehicle, to avoid having discussions at a secret classification in any vehicle, due to the growing threats of surveillance that are present in all vehicle, to restrict those secret talks in protected areas. This is a prudent and sensible thing for everyone concerned about safety.
When it was suggested that it would be prudent for the MoD to stop using all Chinese vehicles, Pollard replied: ‘That’s precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Defence Background
This revelation comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made buses, which could enable the Chinese government to disable public transport and cause disruption to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russia spy ship has been directing lasers at Royal Air Force aircrew, labeled a “highly dangerous” act by government representatives.
The wider security environment underscores the importance of robust measures and vigilance in every aspects of official operations, including transport use to discussions practices.
