An defence minister has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is currently investigating the potential threats associated with Chinese-made cars, and personnel have been advised to refrain from talking about classified information in all cars.
Security Advice for MoD Staff
During a recently aired interview on LBC, Luke Pollard commented on reports that Ministry of Defence officials have been told not to talk about classified information while travelling in China-made cars.
The minister explained that the ministry is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, but noted that security is a issue in all modern vehicles.
Our department has a collection of thousands of vehicles 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 car from another country, what we’ve asked our staff is to avoid connecting MoD devices into their car, not to have discussions at a classified level in any kind of vehicle, due to the increasing threats of surveillance that exist in every single automobile, to restrict those confidential talks in protected areas. That’s a prudent and reasonable thing for everyone worried about safety.
After it was suggested that it would be prudent for the MoD to cease using all Chinese vehicles, the minister responded: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Wider Security Background
The announcement comes as claims from Scandinavian countries have alerted the UK to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese buses, which could enable China to disable public transport and cause chaos to public transit.
Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel has been directing laser beams at RAF pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” act by government representatives.
This broader security environment highlights the importance of strong measures and vigilance in every aspects of official activities, including vehicle use to discussions practices.
