An defence minister has revealed that the MoD is currently looking into the potential security risks posed by Chinese-made vehicles, while staff have been advised to refrain from discussing secret matters in any vehicles.
Security Guidance for Defence Staff
During a recent interview on LBC, Luke Pollard commented on claims that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to discuss secret information while travelling in China-made cars.
He stated that the MoD is “looking into” cars from China within its vehicle pools, however noted that security is a concern in all modern cars.
Our department has a collection of thousands of cars in the MoD and those vehicles represent a tiny fraction.
However whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our people is not to plug Ministry of Defence devices into their car, to avoid having discussions at a secret level in any kind of car, because of the increasing threats of eavesdropping that exist in all vehicle, to restrict those confidential conversations 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 stop using all cars from China, the minister responded: ‘That’s precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Security Background
This announcement comes as claims from Scandinavian countries have alerted the UK to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese electric buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off buses and bring disruption to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russian intelligence vessel was reportedly directing laser beams at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.
This broader security environment underscores the significance of robust protocols and caution in all areas of official activities, from vehicle usage to discussions practices.
