An defence official has stated that the Ministry of Defence is currently investigating the possible threats posed by Chinese-made vehicles, and staff have been advised to avoid discussing classified matters in all vehicles.
Security Guidance for MoD Staff
In a recently aired appearance on LBC, Luke Pollard commented on claims that MoD officials have been instructed not to discuss secret information while riding in Chinese cars.
He said that the MoD is “investigating” cars from China within its vehicle pools, but noted that safety is a concern in every modern vehicles.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the MoD and those vehicles account for a tiny fraction.
However regardless of if you’re driving a Chinese car or a car from another country, our instruction to our staff is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence devices into their car, to avoid having discussions at a classified level in any kind of vehicle, due to the growing risks of surveillance that exist in every single automobile, to only have those confidential talks in protected areas. That’s a wise and sensible thing for anyone worried about security.
When it was suggested that it would be prudent for the MoD to cease using every cars from China, the minister replied: ‘That’s exactly what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Security Background
This announcement comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the UK to the existence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made buses, which could allow China to disable buses and cause chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly directing lasers at Royal Air Force pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” act by government representatives.
This broader security environment highlights the importance of robust protocols and vigilance in every areas of official activities, including vehicle use to discussions practices.
