An defence official has revealed that the MoD is currently examining the potential security risks posed by Chinese cars, and staff have been told to refrain from talking about secret information in any cars.
Safety Advice for Defence Personnel
During a recently aired interview on LBC, Luke Pollard commented on reports that MoD staff have been told not to talk about classified material while travelling in Chinese vehicles.
He stated that the ministry is “examining” cars from China within its vehicle pools, however stressed that safety is a concern in all contemporary vehicles.
We have a collection of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones account for a very small number.
However regardless of if you’re driving a Chinese car or a car from another country, our instruction to our staff is not to plug MoD devices into their vehicle, not to have conversations at a classified level in any car, due to the increasing risks of surveillance that exist in all vehicle, to restrict those confidential talks in secure locations. That’s a wise and sensible thing for anyone worried about safety.
After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the MoD to cease using every cars from China, the minister replied: That is precisely what we are looking into at the present time.”
Wider Security Context
This revelation comes as claims from Scandinavian countries have warned the UK to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese buses, which could enable China to switch off public transport and cause disruption to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly shining lasers at RAF pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
The wider security situation highlights the importance of strong protocols and caution in all aspects of official operations, including vehicle usage to communication habits.
