A defense official has confirmed that the MoD is currently examining the possible security risks associated with Chinese-made cars, while staff have been instructed to avoid talking about classified information in any vehicles.
Security Advice for Defence Staff
During a recent appearance on LBC, Luke Pollard commented on claims that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to talk about secret material while riding in China-made cars.
He said that the ministry is “investigating” cars from China within its fleets, but stressed that safety is a issue in every modern cars.
Our department has a fleet of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles represent a very small number.
But whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our people is not to plug Ministry of Defence devices into their car, to avoid having conversations at a secret level in any vehicle, because of the growing risks of surveillance that exist in all automobile, to only have those secret talks in protected areas. That’s a wise and sensible thing for anyone worried about security.
When it was put to him that it would be prudent for the ministry to stop using all cars from China, Pollard responded: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Security Context
This announcement comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese buses, which could enable China to disable public transport and bring disruption to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russia spy ship has been shining laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” act by defence officials.
The broader defence situation underscores the significance of strong protocols and vigilance in all aspects of government operations, including vehicle use to discussions habits.
