An defense minister has revealed that the MoD is currently investigating the possible security risks associated with Chinese-made cars, and staff have been told to avoid talking about classified matters in any cars.
Security Guidance for MoD Staff
In a recently aired interview on a radio station, Luke Pollard commented on claims that Ministry of Defence officials have been told not to discuss secret material while travelling in Chinese cars.
The minister said that the MoD is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however emphasised that security is a concern in every modern cars.
Our department has a collection of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones represent a very small number.
However regardless of if you’re driving a Chinese car or a car from another country, our instruction to our people is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence technology into their car, not to have discussions at a classified level in any vehicle, due to the increasing risks of surveillance that exist in every single automobile, to only have those secret conversations in secure locations. This is a prudent and reasonable thing for everyone worried about safety.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using all cars from China, the minister responded: That is precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Security Background
The announcement follows claims from Scandinavian countries have warned the United Kingdom to the presence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese buses, which could enable the Chinese government to disable public transport and cause disruption to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel has been directing lasers at Royal Air Force pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.
The broader defence situation underscores the importance of strong protocols and vigilance in every aspects of government operations, including transport usage to communication habits.
